Trump goes all in on law and order—cities on alert, critics divided

President Donald Trump’s second term is defined by an uncompromising “law-and-order” agenda. He has deployed federal troops to cities including Washington, D.C., Memphis, and previously Los Angeles, while directing masked federal agents to round up undocumented immigrants. Trump has suggested turning urban areas into military “training grounds” and even considered invoking the Insurrection Act to bypass legal challenges from local leaders.

Critics argue that these measures disproportionately target communities of color and exaggerate the severity of crime, with some describing the approach as a politically motivated effort to consolidate power. Supporters, however, praise Trump’s actions as fulfilling campaign promises and keeping Americans safe, emphasizing that a majority of Americans view crime in large cities as a major problem.

This law-and-order focus is consistent with Trump’s past, dating back to his real estate days in 1970s and ’80s New York and high-profile cases like the Central Park Five, which highlighted his hardline stance on crime. Despite bipartisan criminal justice reforms in his first term, Trump now champions the toughest possible line against crime, portraying criminals as irredeemable and promising to make cities essentially crime-free.