Newsom Challenges Trump on Crime Response
California Governor Gavin Newsom stated on Thursday that if President Donald Trump genuinely wants to tackle crime, he should consider sending troops to both Louisiana and Mississippi.
This remark came during a press conference where Newsom revealed plans to deploy California Highway Patrol officers into local communities, a move that some view as an imitation of Trump’s strategies.
Earlier this year, Newsom criticized Trump for suggesting the National Guard and Marines be sent into his state to quell riots, as well as into other cities led by Democrats.
Recently, security personnel have been deployed in Washington, D.C., helping to manage violent crime there. Meanwhile, Trump mentioned he is contemplating a similar action in Chicago, known for having a high murder rate.
Newsom challenged Trump to act in Republican-led states, claiming the president’s stance was hypocritical, even though he himself has faced criticism for sending state police to assist with local law enforcement issues.
“If the president is truly serious about addressing crime and violence, he should likely send troops to Louisiana and Mississippi to tackle the rampant violence there,” Newsom remarked.
His efforts to shift the blame onto Republican-run states overlook the violent crime occurring in Democrat-controlled cities, which is a tactic he’s utilized before. For instance, in 2022, Newsom declared a “red state murder problem.” As noted previously, many cities with high murder rates have long been under Democratic rule.
In February, Newsom referenced a report indicating that many of the cities with the highest murder rates have historically been governed by Democrats. Interestingly, Chicago ranked 28th for recent shootings.
Moreover, some of the states with the highest murder rates have been notably Republican-leaning in the 2020 elections, yet these reports often overlook the influence of local party control.
Newsom has also shown support for left-leaning prosecutors, like George Gascon, who faced backlash and was removed by Los Angeles voters last year.
