Overview

• President Trump suggested earlier this week that National Guard troops might be deployed to Oakland following a D.C. deployment and a federal case in San Francisco.
• Mayor Barbara Lee scheduled a community address for August 14 to rebut the suggestion and argue there is no factual basis for sending troops.
• Oakland Police Department data for the first half of 2025 shows a decline in violent crime, countering the administration’s characterization of the city as disorderly.
• At a City Hall rally, elected officials and community leaders condemned the president’s remarks as fear-mongering targeted at predominantly Black cities.
• Critics say the White House’s rhetoric follows a pattern of racially coded messaging, prompting local calls for a firm political pushback.