Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said that President Donald Trump deploying the National Guard to Democratic-led cities across the country is not politically motivated, telling CNN’s Kaitlan Collins in an interview the Republican president is “not targeting anything.”

Washington

Former Governor Doug Burgum responded to questions regarding the administration's approach to deploying the National Guard, which has been primarily directed at Democratic-led states and cities. Burgum emphasized that the intent is not to target any political party but to offer federal assistance to areas experiencing high crime rates. He noted that many of the largest cities with significant crime issues are currently led by Democrats, but maintained that the offer of help is open to any city or state in need, regardless of party affiliation.

Burgum further stated that President Trump’s goal is to reduce violence and ensure public safety across the country. He described the administration’s approach as a nonpartisan effort to support local governments in addressing crime, highlighting the benefits of federal collaboration for community safety, business, tourism, and property values.

Burgum defends sending National Guard to only Democratic-led states

Let me ask you, because you're the former governor of a state, a Republican state, of a red state, that what is the view here when it comes to the administration is only threatening to deploy the National Guard to Democratic-led cities or Democratic-run states? There is crime in Republican-led states. Why is it only blue states or blue cities that the administration is targeting? Well, I'd say that it's, I'd say targeting, I think that President Trump has said it again today over and over, you know, during our cabinet meeting when the press was there, said that, you know, what he would like best if he got invited in. I mean, he doesn't understand why this is an issue that- But they're saying it's not necessary to send in the National Guard. Well, they're saying that, but again, would they not want to have federal help to help, you know, an issue? But if you don't think you have a problem, if you don't think having some of the highest crime rates in the country is a problem, then maybe you think you don't have help. But it's a, this is just an odd thing. And I completely concur with the president when he says, like, if we're against, this administration is against crime, then the opposite position was, what, are you for crime? And so it's, this is what seems to me should be a nonpartisan, and to your question, when you take a look at the top 20 or 25 largest cities in this country, virtually all of those are the ones that have crime issues, and virtually all of those are run by, you know, a particular party. And so this isn't really a partisan thing. It's like, pick the cities that need help, and regardless of what party they're in, pick places that need help, and then see if the federal government has got a blueprint to come in and provide assistance and collaboration to help solve a crime issue, make it safer, which is great for business, great for tourism, great for property values. But again, today, he said, hey, if the greatest thing would be if someone just invited me, I think what he's putting out is an offer to say, look, if we've got a role model where you can, you can go from and have, you know, 11, 12 days in a row without a homicide in a city where that was just, everyone just got numb to the fact that, oh, a couple more people got killed today, if you can drive that to zero, President Trump, whether it's a war abroad or whether it's crime at home, he wants to stop the killing. He wants to stop the violence. I mean, by nature, he is someone that wants people to have peace and to get along, and he's certainly demonstrating that with his actions around the globe, and now he wants to bring that home. If this is the greatest country in the world, I think every citizen, regardless of party, should have an expectation that you can live in a city, large or small, Republican or Democrat, and be safe in that community. That's the vision that he has and that we're all trying to help him with. I just think the question is because he's only targeting Democratic-led cities, even though there is crime in Republican-led cities as well. I wouldn't say targeting. He's not targeting anything. He's basically just, he's putting out an offer to say, hey, if you have an issue, give us a call. We'll be there to help. I think the governor of Maryland might see it differently than that.

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