US President Donald Trump has threatened to send troops to Baltimore, intensifying tensions with Maryland Governor Wes Moore after the Democrat invited Trump to participate in a community safety walk.
In a social media post, Trump said he would "send in the troops" to Baltimore, replicating his actions in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. The remarks are part of the president's broader push to deploy National Guard forces to Democrat-led cities.
Democratic leaders have widely condemned the move. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker called threats to send troops to Chicago an “abuse of power.” For his part, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries argued that Trump lacks the legal authority to deploy troops to cities like Baltimore, citing the city’s declining crime rates, including its lowest homicide count in over 50 years.
A recent Washington Post/Schar School poll found nearly 80% of Baltimore residents oppose the deployment of federal forces and the National Guard.
Currently, around 2,000 troops are stationed in Washington, D.C., with weapons authorized for use only as a last resort. Reports suggest up to 1,700 troops may be mobilized across 19 states in the coming weeks.
Regardless of the popularity, or lack thereof, of recent events, how much do you know about troop deployments throughout US history? Click through to find out what it means to “send in the troops,” and how it has happened in the past.