President Donald Trump’s declaration that Washington, D.C., is a “crime-ridden wasteland” has drawn sharp pushback from Black mayors across the country, who say the president is distorting reality to justify federal crackdowns in cities led by African Americans.
For mayors in Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland and beyond, Trump’s claims run counter to what they’ve been witnessing: historic drops in violent crime after a pandemic-era surge. They credit youth outreach, community partnerships and public health-based strategies for the turnaround, progress they now fear is being overshadowed.
“It gives us an opportunity to say we need to amplify our voices to confront the rhetoric that crime is just running rampant around major U.S. cities. It’s just not true,” said Van Johnson, mayor of Savannah, Georgia, and president of the African American Mayors Association. “It’s not supported by any evidence or statistics whatsoever.”
RELATED STORIES
READ ALSO: National Guard rolls in as Trump launches takeover of Washington, D.C.
The confrontation escalated after Trump deployed hundreds of National Guard troops and federal agents into Washington, vowing to replicate the intervention in other cities he described as “horribly run.” Critics noted that his list, Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles and Oakland, shared a common denominator: Black leadership.
“It was not lost on any member of our organization that the mayors either were Black or perceived to be Democrats,” Johnson said. “And that’s unfortunate. For mayors, we play with whoever’s on the field.”
Watch a recent episode of The BreakDown podcast below and subscribe to our channel PanaGenius TV for latest episodes.
Statistics undercut Trump’s narrative. Washington police report violent crime has fallen since peaking in 2023. Chicago has seen homicides drop by more than 30% and shootings by nearly 40% in the past year. Los Angeles recorded a 14% decline in homicides from 2023 to 2024. Baltimore reported steady reductions in shootings and killings since 2022, with carjackings and other crimes also falling.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson dismissed Trump’s remarks, pointing to the city’s “historic progress driving down homicides by more than 30% and shootings by almost 40% in the last year alone.”
In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass branded the federal action a “power grab.”
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott reportedly accused Trump of exploiting fear rather than helping communities. “He has actively undermined efforts that are making a difference saving lives in cities across the country in favor of militarized policing of Black communities,” Scott said.
Oakland has also reported major reductions, with homicides down 21% and overall violent crime nearly 30% lower this year compared to 2024. “These results show that we’re on the right track,” said Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. She dismissed Trump’s comments as “fearmongering.”
Community leaders warned that deploying troops could undo fragile progress. “It creates kind of an environment of fear in our community,” said Nicole Lee of Oakland’s Urban Peace Movement. “The things we are doing are working.”
Savannah’s Johnson echoed those concerns, arguing cities need federal help fighting interstate gun trafficking and cybercrime, not soldiers on the streets. “I’m a former law enforcement officer. There is a different skill set that is used for municipal law enforcement agencies than the military,” he said.
With Washington’s mayor Muriel Bowser now suing to block the takeover, Black mayors say they are bracing for what comes next.
“Black mayors are resilient. We are intrinsically children of struggle,” Johnson said. “We learn to adapt quickly, and I believe that we will and we are.”
READ ALSO: D.C. residents protest White House plan for 24/7 federal patrols
