Trump expands crime crackdown, targets cashless bail and flag burning

President Trump is signaling an expansion of his crackdown on crime, potentially bringing a greater National Guard presence to major cities across the country.

(NBC)- President Trump is signaling an expansion of his crackdown on crime, potentially bringing a greater National Guard presence to major cities across the country. Already armed on the streets of Washington, D.C., Chicago could be next.

“We may wait. We may or may not, we may just go in and do it, which is probably what we should do. Chicago desperately needs help,” Trump said Monday.

The President signed an executive order directing the Defense Secretary to create specialized National Guard units trained and ready to assist with domestic law enforcement.

Chicago’s mayor pointed to a 30% drop in murders, robberies, and shootings from last year, though the city still averages more than one homicide a day. This past weekend alone saw three killings and 27 people shot.

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker criticized the potential federal intervention, calling it “a dangerous power grab” and referring to Trump as a “wanna-be dictator.” Trump pushed back, saying, “A lot of people are saying, maybe we like a dictator. I don’t like a dictator. I’m not a dictator. I’m a man with great common sense.”

In addition to the National Guard order, Trump signed two more crime-related executive orders. One threatens to revoke federal funding from states offering cashless bail, claiming it allows offenders to commit more crimes. The other seeks to make burning the American flag a crime if it incites a riot, reversing its status as a First Amendment-protected act.