Overview

• President Trump has labeled Oakland as “so far gone” and suggested it could join Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles as sites for National Guard deployment
• Mayor Barbara Lee and city council members joined faith and community leaders in denouncing the remarks as fear-mongering aimed at majority-Black cities
• Oakland data shows a 29% drop in violent crime for the first half of 2025, with homicides down 21% and robberies down 41%, which officials cite to rebut claims of an uncontrolled crime surge
• The city’s legal team is reviewing whether National Guard deployment is constitutional, and state and county officials are working to block any federal intervention
• Leaders warn that the threat of federal intervention alone harms Oakland’s reputation and could deter investment and tourism