Maryland Governor Wes Moore now says he would welcome Trump’s help to fight crime in Baltimore

"I would absolutely welcome federal support," Moore said, "but I also know what federal support is going to be necessary and required. It’s the reason I’ve said we would love to have additional support for license plate readers, things that we know can actually stop crimes as they are happening, and making sure that people are brought to justice, and not having $30 million cut from public safety budgeting that is coming from the federal government."

He added that he would "love" to see the federal government ban ghost guns and eliminate "extended clips for Glocks, which essentially are turning Glocks into automatic weapons," as well as investments into local law enforcement.

Earlier in August, Moore invited Trump to go on a "public safety walk" in Baltimore. The letter came after a back-and-forth between Moore and Trump, with the Maryland leader calling Trump’s deployment of the National Guard into DC to help crack down on crime "deeply dangerous," per the Washington Examiner.

In his letter, Moore said that he has sought a "different path" to addressing crime since becoming governor. "We have taken an all-of-the-above approach to public safety that addresses the root causes of crime: Mobilizing state resources; building strong partnerships with local jurisdictions, prosecutors, public defenders, police officers, and advocates; and ensuring greater coordination and data-sharing to deliver staggering drops in violent crime."

He touted lowered crime rates under his leadership, including a 20 percent drop in homicides since his 2023 inauguration, and said that in the first six months of 2025, Baltimore’s police department has seen a 22 percent decrease in homicides and a 19 percent decrease in non-fatal shootings from 2024.

"If there’s anything Maryland has proven over the last two years, it’s that we can achieve performance without being performative. Progress requires the right tool for the right mission. Asking the patriotic citizen soldiers of our National Guard to police our cities doesn’t meet that test."

He wrote, "I would like to formally invite you to attend our next public safety walk in September, at a date of your choosing. We would be joined by the Baltimore City Mayor, the Baltimore State’s Attorney, elected officials, local law enforcement, and community groups. In Maryland and in Baltimore, you will find people who share the same commitment to public safety that I have–and who want to be part of the solution, not the problem."

In response to the invitation, Trump wrote, "Governor Wes Moore of Maryland has asked, in a rather nasty and provocative tone, that I 'walk the streets of Maryland' with him. I assume he is talking about out of control, crime ridden, Baltimore? As President, I would much prefer that he clean up this Crime disaster before I go there for a 'walk.'" He later added, "After only one week, there is NO CRIME AND NO MURDER IN DC! When it is like that in Baltimore, I will proudly 'walk the streets' with the failing, because of Crime, Governor of Maryland. P.S. Baltimore is ranked the 4th WORST CITY IN THE NATION IN CRIME & MURDER."