Maryland’s largest city, Baltimore, has found itself at the center of a heated national debate over crime, policing, and federal intervention. In recent weeks, President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to send National Guard troops into Baltimore, describing the city as a crime "hellhole" and claiming drastic action is needed to restore order. But Maryland’s leaders, including Governor Wes Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, are pushing back—insisting that local and state efforts are making real progress and that federal troop deployments are unnecessary, even counterproductive.
On September 5, 2025, Governor Moore took a symbolic walk through Park Heights, a neighborhood often associated with Baltimore’s crime struggles. According to The Baltimore Banner, this was more than just a stroll—it was a pointed response to Trump’s criticism. Moore, accompanied by Mayor Scott, announced a renewed collaboration between the Baltimore City Police Department and the Maryland State Police, promising a surge of state law enforcement resources to combat crime. Notably, neither official mentioned Trump by name, but their message was clear: Baltimore’s problems would be addressed by Marylanders, not by federal troops.
The city’s crime statistics remain sobering. In August 2025, seven people were killed in Baltimore, bringing the year’s homicide total to 91, as reported by The Baltimore Banner. No one is denying that Baltimore has a crime problem—least of all its own leaders. But, as columnist Rick Hutzell pointed out, Trump’s threat to send in the National Guard is not really about crime or Baltimore itself. "It is about power," Hutzell wrote, suggesting that the president’s rhetoric is aimed more at political theater than practical solutions.
Governor Moore has been vocal in national media about his stance. Appearing on NBC’s "Meet the Press" on September 7, 2025, Moore told moderator Kristen Welker he would "absolutely accept the offer for federal support" for law enforcement, but rejected the idea of deploying the National Guard. "The work is happening," Moore insisted, citing "historic investments in local law enforcement, historic investments in technologies." He pointed out that, during the same period as a recent federal surge in Washington, D.C., assaults with deadly weapons decreased by 10% in Baltimore, while they increased by 8% in D.C. Baltimore, he noted, also saw drops in major crime indicators like homicide and carjacking—all without the National Guard’s involvement.
Moore didn’t mince words about the president’s approach. He called Trump’s threats to send troops to cities like Baltimore and Chicago "embarrassing," "performative," and a "threat." He questioned what the National Guard would actually accomplish in the fight against crime, contrasting their documented tasks in D.C.—spreading mulch and painting fences—with the complex work of seizing illegal guns and conducting drug busts. "We didn’t mobilize the National Guard for it," Moore said of Baltimore’s crime reduction, emphasizing that the city achieved progress without asking "citizen soldiers to give up their lives" or costing taxpayers "well over a million dollars a day so we could have fences painted." (Tampa Free Press)
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott echoed Moore’s sentiments in a CNN interview on September 7, 2025. Scott was unequivocal: the city does not need federal troops. Instead, he and Moore announced a surge of state law enforcement as a targeted, constructive response. Scott’s message was clear—local problems require local solutions, and Baltimore’s leaders are not waiting for Washington to take action.
State officials have also pushed back against Trump’s attempts to intervene in Maryland’s elections. According to The Baltimore Sun, Maryland election officials have spent years countering false claims of voter fraud and strengthening the state’s mail-in voting process. Now, as Trump once again tries to influence how states run their elections, Maryland is standing firm. While Republicans argue that federal involvement will boost voter confidence, state officials worry that such efforts only serve to undermine trust in the process.
The tension between state and federal priorities extends beyond policing and elections. Governor Moore has criticized Trump’s proposed budget, which he claims would cut funding for key agencies like the FBI and ATF, as well as $30 million earmarked for violence prevention programs in Baltimore. Moore warned that these cuts would place an even greater burden on states. "There’s not a single state that has the resources to make up for this. You cannot backfill it," Moore told The Washington Post. "The federal government is now literally saying to the states, ‘You are now on your own.’"
Meanwhile, Maryland continues to grapple with other pressing issues. The state’s Handgun Roster board has approved thousands of handgun petitions since 2018, allowing new models to be sold as long as they functioned, according to The Baltimore Sun. A controversial refund initiative—intended to return at least $120 million to low-income patients wrongly charged by hospitals—was quietly dropped this year, as reported by The Baltimore Banner. And the Maryland Department of Transportation has rolled out a new blueprint to expand the state’s trail system, with an eye on safety and accessibility (The Baltimore Sun).
Maryland’s seafood industry, too, has found itself caught in the crosshairs of federal policy. Bill Sieling of the Chesapeake Bay Seafood Industries Association has been asking for tariffs on foreign crabmeat since the late 1990s, hoping to protect local businesses from overseas competition (The Baltimore Banner).
Local politics remain lively. Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Patoka launched his campaign for county executive on September 8, 2025, emphasizing his "community-centered work" and commitment to local government (The Baltimore Sun). In Carroll County, State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker reported that domestic violence prosecutor Craig Wolf has sought justice for 253 victims since January 1, 2025—a number that underscores the ongoing need for specialized prosecutors (The Carroll County Times).
Finally, the Maryland Supreme Court heard arguments on September 5, 2025, about whether to make public the names in a report detailing decades of sexual abuse allegations within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. For now, the justices have not indicated when a decision will be made (The Baltimore Banner).
In a city and state accustomed to outside scrutiny, Maryland’s leaders are making it clear: they’ll take help where it’s useful, but they won’t cede control of their own future. With crime dropping and local initiatives gaining traction, Baltimore’s fight for safety—and for self-determination—continues on its own terms.
