Recent polling indicates that many Americans are against President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in cities like Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.
An NPR-IPSOS poll released on Saturday revealed that 49% of those surveyed disapprove of sending National Guard troops to major cities for law enforcement purposes, while 38% support the action and 12% are uncertain.
Half of the respondents expressed their opposition to measures that would enable federal officials to implement immigration-related suspensions with fewer limitations. Meanwhile, 35% supported this approach, and 13% were unsure.
This survey follows President Trump’s call for troops from over six states, which occurred during his summer attempts to deploy soldiers to Los Angeles amid immigration protests and to address crime in the nation’s capital.
More recently, Trump ordered National Guard forces to Memphis, Tennessee, a city noted for the highest crime rate in the U.S., recording 2,501 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, according to FBI statistics. On Saturday, he also mentioned plans to send troops to Portland, Oregon, to “protect” the city and ICE facilities from what he described as ANTIFA and other “domestic terrorists.”
The NPR-IPSOS poll further showed that 46% of respondents opposed sending National Guard forces specifically to Memphis for law enforcement, while 35% were in favor and 18% remained undecided.
Darius Gamble, an independent voter, remarked, “I really think it’s an abuse of power,” referring to the decision to send troops to curtail crime in major cities. He added, “I think calling the National Guard is really excessive. That’s unfair. I don’t think that’s necessary. The President is abusing his power and authority.”
According to the poll, 48% of participants believe that crime in the U.S. has risen, whereas 22% think it has stayed the same, 16% feel it has decreased, and 12% are unsure.
Data indicates that crime has actually declined since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, as reported by NPR.
“About seven in ten Americans say the level of crime and violence in American cities is at an unacceptable level,” noted Ipsos vice president Mallory Newall. “Americans largely agree that crime has increased in the U.S. and in major cities, but they don’t broadly support actions like calling in the National Guard as a solution.”
The NPR-IPSOS survey was conducted from September 19th to 21st, including responses from 1,020 adults and has a margin of error of 3.2 points.
