AP-NORC Survey Shows Americans Divided Over Trump’s National Guard Crime Strategy

Even while President Donald Trump's decision to send National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., has sparked debate about federal overreach, it has helped his political standing on crime. A new AP-NORC poll shows that 53% of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling crime. This is a rare positive sign for his overall approval numbers.

The poll showed that most Americans do not like how Trump handles immigration, the economy, or the war in Ukraine, but many do like how he is tough on crime. His overall approval rating increased slightly, from 40% in July to 45% this month.

Crime remains a significant concern for most Americans, with 81% stating that it is a "major problem" in large cities. That worry is still there, even though FBI statistics indicate that violent crime in Washington, D.C., is at its lowest level in 30 years. Trump has leveraged those fears to his advantage by deploying the National Guard to Washington and suggesting that other cities could face a similar outcome.

Critics are concerned about the plan because there have been longstanding rules against deploying the military for domestic law enforcement. Republicans remain firmly in favor. Charles Arnold, 87, a lifelong Republican from San Diego, said, "About damn time that somebody did something." "I hate the idea that it needs to be done, but the police should be able to do their jobs. If they can't, then someone else has to."

About half of both white and Hispanic adults approve of how Trump has dealt with crime. Only 27% of Black adults support it, which is a lot less. Independents are also more inclined to support Trump on crime than on other subjects; nearly half of them do.

However, the poll also reveals that public support has its limits. 

Fifty-five percent of Americans feel it is wrong for the federal government to take over local police agencies. Approximately half of Republicans are in favor of these kinds of reforms, while about a third are opposed to them. Democrats are still largely opposed to both federal takeovers and National Guard deployments.

For Tiana Parker, a Democrat from outside Seattle, the topic is close to home. She claimed, "I do not feel safe going to Seattle, especially as a woman," because of her past assault and neighboring shootings. Still, she thinks Trump's approach is "a waste of resources" that exacerbates the situation.

Some people, like Mark Hackl of Tulsa, who used to be a Republican but is now an independent, are wary of Trump's methods. Hackl remarked, "My raw emotion is that I am horrified by it." "We are not supposed to let the active military work inside the U.S."