Trump Discusses Military Authority on Air Force One
President Donald Trump interacted with reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew to South Korea on Tuesday. During the conversation, he addressed his power to send U.S. troops to cities across America, a topic that might provoke legal and political debates.
Trump’s visit comes in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, where he is set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In the press briefing, Trump asserted he could deploy military forces to American cities if necessary, emphasizing, “the courts will not get involved.” He also noted that he could call in other troops besides the National Guard if the situation called for it.
Trump’s Stance on Military Deployment
“If necessary, I would,” he remarked. While he stated that it wasn’t needed at this moment, he maintained that he had the authority as president to implement such measures. “If we want to enact certain laws, we are allowed to do so on a daily basis. I’ll be allowed to do whatever I want… You know the courts won’t get involved. Nobody will get involved,” he added.
He expanded, saying, “We could send in the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marines. We could send in anyone we wanted, but we haven’t because we’re doing very well.” He used San Francisco as a case study, noting that federal authorities had considered intervening but refrained because local officials wanted to manage the issue on their own.
“That problem could have been resolved in less than a month,” he claimed. Federal intervention, he argued, “would have been much faster and much more effective.”
Trump did mention successes in other U.S. cities too. “Memphis is making remarkable progress,” he stated, claiming a significant reduction in crime rates. He believes the numbers indicate about a 60-70% drop and anticipates nearly no crime within weeks.
Looking ahead, the president is scheduled to hold discussions with Xi on Wednesday concerning various topics, including fentanyl trafficking, trade policies, and border security.
