Wes Moore trades barbs with Trump over threat to send "troops" to Maryland
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Gov. Wes Moore speaks onstage during the 2025 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture presented by Coca-Cola on July 6 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo: Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for ESSENCE
President Trump threatened Sunday to "send in the 'troops'" to Maryland after Gov. Wes Moore (D) invited the president to walk the streets of Baltimore with him — a request Trump sharply rebuked in an escalating tit-for-tat with the Democratic governor.
The big picture: Amid his federal takeover of D.C., Trump has floated expanding his crackdown on what he sees as rampant crime to several Democratic-run cities, including Baltimore.
- In his Sunday Truth Social post, the president also floated taking back federal assistance to help rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed after being struck by a cargo ship last year.
- In December, Congress approved funds to rebuild the bridge as part of a spending bill, which Biden signed into law.
- Trump can't unilaterally freeze funding appropriated by Congress — though he and his allies have argued he should have the power to rescind money authorized by lawmakers.
Driving the news: Responding to Trump's comments, Moore said in a Sunday interview with CBS News' "Face the Nation" that he invited Trump to visit his state for a public safety walk because he believes the president enjoys "living in this blissful ignorance" as he threatens to mirror his D.C. crackdown in other states.
- He described the deployment of National Guard personnel in D.C. — an operation now comprised of troops from several Republican-led states and the District — as "not sustainable," "not scalable" and "unconstitutional."
- Beyond that, Moore, a U.S. Army veteran, argued the mobilization was "deeply disrespectful" to members of the National Guard, who he said were asked "to do a job that they're not trained for."
Zoom out: Trump described Baltimore as "out of control" and "crime ridden" in his Sunday post, saying he would "much prefer that he clean up this Crime disaster before I go there for a 'walk.'"
- Trump also said he'd have to "rethink" federal funding provided to rebuild the prominent bridge, which more than 30,000 vehicles were estimated to use daily.
What they're saying: Moore and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott have rejected Trump's characterization of the area.
- "When it comes to public safety in Baltimore, he [Trump] should turn off the right-wing propaganda and look at the facts," Scott said in a statement earlier this month, noting that homicides have fallen year-over-year.
- Violent crime in Baltimore is down some 17% this year compared to last, per a dashboard tracking city crime.
Friction point: Taking to social media following his interview, Moore slammed Trump as "President Bone Spurs," a reference to his draft deferment, writing in an X post the president would "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."
- He quipped, "Hey Donald, we can get you a golf cart if that makes things easier. Just let my team know."
What we're watching: Moore is widely considered to be a potential presidential contender — though Trump has claimed he doesn't have what it takes.
- "It's interesting the president seems to be more concerned about my future than he is about the future of the American people," Moore said Sunday, "and that's why I'm asking him to keep his focus."
Go deeper: Virginia, Maryland governors split on Trump's D.C. takeover
