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Speaker Mike Johnson really wants the 2026 midterm election to be about crime. Johnson also really, really wants Trump to get the credit for his photo-op crime-fighting in blue cities.
Johnson said on Wednesday:
We need to confirm for the American people that they do not need to fear for their lives when they drive to the grocery store or they pick up their son or daughter from school. This is common sense and I cannot, for the life of me understand how the Democrats think this is some sort of winning political message yield man.
Let the troops come into your city and show how crime can be reduced. It’s a morale boost for the country and it’s safe and and right for everybody involved. So I, if they want to go down that road, they’re gonna go down that road. But we’re gonna keep talking about common sense and we’re gonna keep delivering.
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Why is Johnson so determined to get Democratic mayors to ask Trump to invade their cities?
The answer goes back to the California court ruling that Donald Trump can’t use the military for civilian law enforcement. Republicans are also worried that Trump’s use of the military will be halted by the courts if the troops are not invited into the cities.
Trump used immigration protests as a pretext to invade Los Angeles. Trump didn’t need a justification to invade Washington, DC, but if he wants to invade other cities, he is going to need a reason or to be invited in.
The cities have shown less than zero interest in inviting Trump and his troops in, so Johnson is trying to politically pressure them.
As more cities resist, Trump’s invasion tour seems to be losing steam.
Johnson has to change the subject away from the economy to have any chance of Republicans keeping the House majority, so he is floating the crime distraction, and if this fails, his time as Speaker is probably going to end.
What do you think about Johnson asking mayors to invite the Trump troops in? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
