Overview

• In a Truth Social post, the president warned he could send troops to Maryland and questioned previously approved federal funds to rebuild Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.
• He has said Chicago and New York are likely targets for expanded deployments following increases of National Guard and federal agents in Washington, D.C.
• The Washington Post reported weeks of Pentagon preparation for a possible operation in Chicago that could involve National Guard units and potentially active-duty forces, with officials describing initial planning.
• House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and state leaders including Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul argue the president lacks authority for such moves, with Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson calling a Guard deployment illegal and uncoordinated.
• Legal analyses point to potential use of Title 10, Section 12406 to justify Guard deployments but predict lawsuits, while Baltimore officials note major crime declines that undercut claims the city is 'out of control.'