Milwaukee Mayor addresses National Guard questions amid national debate over troops in US cities

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- As the political battle over the deployment of National Guard troops to Washington DC continues, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson again said they are not needed or wanted in his city.

President Trump has said troops could be sent to Chicago and New York next, and Vice President JD Vance was asked about Milwaukee while in Wisconsin Thursday.

President Trump has not said he'll send National Guard troops to Milwaukee. But he has targeted mostly Democratic cities so far and so Mayor Johnson has addressed it.

The President says federal troops are needed to stop violent crime, but almost all of Milwaukee's crime numbers are already trending in the right direction.

Mayor Johnson said Friday, August 29, "The United States military has a very critical role, very critical responsibility. It's not to be deployed in American cities when there's not a rebellion."

Johnson said National Guard troops should not be patrolling US cities.

But at a stop in La Crosse the day before, Vice President Vance left the door open when asked about Milwaukee specifically. He told the crowd, "Is Milwaukee a super safe city right now? It's had some crime problems."

Johnson addressed Milwaukee's crime numbers Friday, saying, "I think it would be useful for the Vice President to take a peek at Milwaukee's record on crime since I've been Mayor."

The Milwaukee Police Department publishes crime statistics for eleven categories.

Three of those categories are slightly higher this year compared to at the same point last year: there have been eight more homicides, two more reports of rape, and six more cases of human trafficking.

But, Johnson said, "Crime overall is down, overall, in Milwaukee, since I've been Mayor."

Every other crime statistic is down in 2025 compared to 2024, and all but one of them by double digits.

Robberies are down 24%, aggravated assaults are down 21%, non-fatal shootings are down 21%, and carjackings are down 45%.

Johnson said Milwaukee does not need help keeping the city safe.

The day before, Vance said the administration wishes mayors would invite the troops into their cities. "The President of the United States is not going out there forcing this on anybody. Though we do think that we have the legal right to clean up America's streets if we want to."

But the President has said he'll send troops to Chicago next, despite the protests of city and state leaders. From the Oval Office, he said, "As you all know, Chicago is a killing field right now."

In response, Illinois' Democratic Governor, Chicago's Democratic Mayor, and others have railed against Trump this week. At a rally in Chicago, Governor JB Pritzker said, "Mr. President, do not come to Chicago. You are neither wanted here, nor needed here."

In Milwaukee, Mayor Johnson credited many factors for the drop in crime, including programs that received federal support from the Biden administration. Johnson said, "I'd suggest the Vice President and the President look at bolstering those programs, as opposed to using folks in our military as political pawns."

We spoke with several Milwaukee Alders who were unavailable for interviews. They said, so far, the Common Council has not had discussions about if or when the President calls for National Guard troops in Milwaukee.

In most cases, the National Guard would have to be requested by the Governor.