Louisiana gov welcomes Trump's suggestion to deploy National Guard to New Orleans

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has welcomed the idea of President Donald Trump sending the National Guard into New Orleans to help crack down on crime, something that Trump floated on Wednesday. This comes after Trump has also suggested that the administration could use the National Guard troops to tamp down crime in other cities, such as New York City and Chicago, after crime in Washington, DC has dropped off in the wake of the administration's crackdown on crime there.

In a statement on Wednesday, Landry stated, "We will take President Donald Trump’s help from New Orleans to Shreveport!" as he shared a clip of Trump making the suggestion.

During a White House press conference, the president was talking about various cities around the country that have been facing high crime. “We're making a determination now,” Trump told the press. “Do we go to Chicago or do we go to a place like New Orleans, where we have a great governor, Jeff Landry, who wants us to straighten out a very nice section of this country.” 

The City of New Orleans also responded to the statement from Trump, and posted, "The City of New Orleans and the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) thank the federal government for their support, including the SEAR 1 grant for special events. We have consistently worked with our federal partners, including collaborations with the Louisiana State Police. This collaborative approach has been instrumental in our ongoing success in reducing crime."

"Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the women and men of the NOPD, the strategic use of advanced technology, and a steadfast commitment to constitutional policing, strong public safety partnerships have also played a critical role in driving and sustaining this downward trend in crime. New Orleans is an international city, welcoming visitors from all over the world every day of the year. Our federal and state partnerships have played a significant role in ensuring public safety, particularly during special events for a world-class city," the statement added.

The release from New Orleans was also shared on social media by Mayor LaToya Cantrell, a Democrat. The statement did not explicitly endorse or reject Trump’s suggestion of bringing in the National Guard but stated that local law enforcement is "committed to sustaining" the momentum of bringing down crime.