US President Donald Trump warned military officials of what he described as an “invasion from within” the country, equating it to facing a foreign enemy but emphasizing that it is harder to detect because such adversaries “do not wear uniforms.” He made these remarks during an address to top US military officials at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.

In a striking proposal, Trump suggested that America’s most crime-ridden cities should be used as training grounds for the military. According to him, large-scale crime and lawlessness in inner cities represent modern battlegrounds requiring unconventional responses. He claimed to have advised Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to consider deploying military units, beyond the National Guard, in areas like Chicago.

Trump specifically named San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles as examples of “unsafe” cities that need federal attention. He stated that his administration would “straighten them out one-by-one.” This framing indicates that urban law enforcement in Democrat-led cities could become a major focus of his domestic security strategy. He characterised the situation as a “war from within,” expanding the traditional definition of national defence to include fighting violent crime domestically.

The President referenced Washington, DC as an example where crime drastically decreased following federal police crackdowns under his administration. He described the capital as “beautiful and safe” compared to the prior year, attributing the improvement to “good governance” and strict law enforcement measures enacted from the federal level down.

Trump’s remarks come as his administration is already considering deploying the National Guard to Chicago to manage persistent levels of violent crime, as part of his broader anti-crime and immigration crackdown. The proposal signals a growing willingness to use federal military resources inside US cities, traditionally a politically and legally sensitive move due to restrictions on military involvement in domestic law enforcement under the Posse Comitatus Act.

Trump’s language draws sharp contrasts with conventional counter-crime approaches, framing domestic safety issues as military-level threats. The rhetoric may resonate with his base that supports “law-and-order” policies, but it could trigger pushback from civil rights advocates, local authorities, and constitutional scholars concerned about military overreach. His reference to “wars from within” suggests that crime and immigration will remain central pillars of his 2025 agenda, with potential long-term implications for civil-military relations in the US.

Based On ANI Report