ST. LOUIS – President Donald Trump again brought up St. Louis while discussing the possibility of deploying the National Guard to address crime in U.S. cities.
After announcing plans to deploy the National Guard to Memphis, President Trump said Chicago is next. The president recalled a recent conversation he claimed to have had with Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena.
“I said, ‘Where would you go next?’ He said St. Louis is in big trouble, but Chicago, it’s a big city, you could save Chicago, sir,” President Trump said while talking to reporters.
Allison Gorga, director of criminology at Webster University, said it is not surprising that Memphis, Chicago, and St. Louis are part of the discussion.
“According to FBI data, they do have pretty high crime rates. Memphis is usually at the top of the list. St. Louis is in a particularly weird position,” Gorga said.
St. Louis police data show 97 homicides have been reported so far this year, but those numbers have been trending down since 2022.
“We’re aware of the president’s comments, and I can tell you that we are working every single day with our local, state and federal partners to build a safer St. Louis,” Mitch McCoy, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department spokesman, said during a media briefing on Monday.
Gorga said crime rates in some Democratic-led cities often do not tell the full story. A declining population in St. Louis, she said, can make the crime rate appear higher. In 2024, St. Louis’ homicide rate was 48.6 per 100,000 residents. Gorga recommends looking at the entire St. Louis County for a more accurate picture.
“Our homicide rate actually drops down to 16 per 100,000 residents, so combining those two things better reflects the movement in a city,” Gorga said.
While the National Guard is heading to Memphis and possibly Chicago, no plans have been announced for St. Louis.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe’s office released a statement praising President Trump’s efforts in Washington, D.C. and Memphis, adding that “Governor Kehoe continues to keep options open to keep Missourians safe.”
Both the governor’s office and St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer’s office say there are not currently any plans to bring the guard to the city.
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