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President Trump on Sunday blasted Maryland Gov. Wes Moore about “crime ridden” Baltimore after the Democrat sent a letter last week inviting the president to visit his state amid dramatic reductions in violent crime.
Mr. Trump fired off the Truth Social jab by saying the letter sent by Mr. Moore had a “rather nasty and provocative tone” when the governor requested Mr. Trump join him on a walk through the streets.
“I assume he is talking about out of control, crime ridden, Baltimore? As president, I would much prefer that he clean up this crime disaster before I go there for a ’walk,’” Mr. Trump posted. “Wes Moore’s record on crime is a very bad one, unless he fudges his figures on crime like many of the other ’blue states’ are doing.”
Baltimore police data show violent crime in the city is down nearly 18% year-over-year, with sizable drops in homicides (down 30%), shootings (down 19%), rapes (down 31%), and robberies and carjackings (down 25%).
At the beginning of this month, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott touted the then-84 recorded homicides as the city’s lowest rate in more than 50 years. Police data show the city has now seen 90 slayings through Aug. 24.
A large part of Mr. Trump’s reasoning for commandeering the Metropolitan Police Department in the District this month was his argument that officials are fudging the numbers. A member of the MPD brass is under an internal investigation for allegedly manipulating crime data to make the District appear safer than it is. The Department of Justice has launched its own investigation into the matter.
Mr. Trump offered to “send in the troops” to Baltimore, as he has in the nation’s capital since Aug. 11.
“After only one week, there is no crime and no murder in D.C.!” the president posted. “When it is like that in Baltimore, I will proudly ’walk the streets’ with the failing, because of crime, governor of Maryland. P.S. Baltimore is ranked the fourth worst city in the nation in crime and murder. Stop talking and get to work, Wes. I’ll then see you on the streets!!!”
D.C. police data show the last killing in the city occurred Aug. 13. Federal law enforcement officials have further boasted more than 800 arrests two weeks into the crime crackdown.
It’s unclear what ranking Mr. Trump is referring to when regarding Baltimore as the “fourth worst” in crime and murder. The U.S. News & World Report removed Baltimore this year from its list of the 25 most crime-ridden places in the country.
The president also threatened to pull federal funds dedicated to rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which was toppled after a malfunctioning ship rammed into it last year.
Mr. Moore swatted back at Mr. Trump, saying the president was intentionally smearing Maryland as dangerous.
“President Bone Spurs will do anything to get out of walking — even if that means spouting off more lies about the progress we’re making on public safety in Maryland,” Mr. Moore posted Sunday on X. “Hey Donald, we can get you a golf cart if that makes things easier. Just let my team know.”
The back-and-forth comes days after Mr. Trump said he was eying similar federal crime interventions in other major cities.
The president said he has received calls from politicians “begging me to go to Chicago, begging me to go to New York, begging me to go to Los Angeles.”
He then went on to slam Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, and called him “grossly incompetent.”
“The people in Chicago … are screaming for us to go. They’re wearing red hats, just like this one, but they’re wearing red hats,” Mr. Trump said. “African American ladies, beautiful ladies, are saying, ’Please, President Trump, come to Chicago, please.’”
Mr. Johnson has said that sending the National Guard to Chicago “would only serve to destabilize our city and undermine our public safety efforts.”
And Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the president is “attempting to manufacture a crisis” by discussing a potential troop deployment to Chicago.
• Mallory Wilson contributed to this report.
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