BATON ROUGE – The Trump administration is weighing a controversial proposal to activate 1,000 Louisiana National Guard troops for a law enforcement mission focused on the state’s “urban centers,” including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, according to Pentagon planning documents obtained by The Washington Post.
The draft plan — still unsigned and undated — would allow the Guard to supplement local police departments if Republican Gov. Jeff Landry formally requests federal support. President Donald Trump hinted at such deployments during a recent Fox News appearance, saying, “New Orleans is in really bad shape, and the governor wants us to go in. I can fix that up in a week and a half.”
The Pentagon documents, however, show a proposed mission that would last far longer than Trump suggested — running through Sept. 30, 2026. While the authenticity of the planning materials has been confirmed, neither the White House nor Landry’s office has said whether the governor has formally asked for troops.
Supporters say Guard could provide “unique advantage”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s draft memo describes the “unique advantage” of deploying the Guard to Louisiana, noting that soldiers could provide manpower and logistics that strained police departments may lack. The plan aligns with Trump’s repeated criticisms of Democratic-led cities, which he has characterized as violent and lawless.
Gov. Landry has previously voiced openness to federal help, stating earlier this month, “We’ll take President Trump’s help from New Orleans to Shreveport.”
Supporters of the plan argue that Guard troops could deter violent crime, ease pressure on local departments, and restore public confidence in neighborhoods where residents feel unsafe.
Critics call plan “a band-aid on a gunshot wound”
The idea of militarizing city streets has drawn sharp pushback from community leaders. Eugene Collins, a Baton Rouge-based activist and former NAACP chapter president, argued the plan fails to address the root causes of crime.
“My initial thoughts, even when I saw those in D.C., is, ‘That it’s irresponsible, right?’ Because it’s not a long-term solution to crime prevention,” Collins said. “You can’t possibly do this forever. You’re only looking at a short period of time, and then you’re back to the same issues. Unless you’re hitting those marks — education, employment, economics — you’re simply putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound, and that just won’t work.”
Collins also raised concerns about how troops would be positioned and the effect on everyday life.
“Where do you position the National Guard to reduce crime? It may hinder some things,” he said. “When you talk about your ability to move around town, whether it’s getting to a football game or getting to a voting poll, what does that look like? Nobody’s been able to clearly lay that out.”
He questioned whether deploying the Guard could leave Louisiana unprepared for natural disasters, such as hurricanes, which also require Guard assistance. “Resources are a real concern for me on this,” Collins said.
“Un-American” precedent?
Beyond logistics, Collins warned of the deeper message such a deployment could send.
“It sends a message that says, ‘We really don’t care about fixing crime. We want to look like we’re fixing crime,’” he said. “The people in North Baton Rouge understand how you fix crime. And that’s competent programming, better schools, more after-school programs, crime prevention programs. We had things that were working in Baton Rouge, and we’re watching those things disappear at the same time.”
For Collins, the debate is not about partisan politics. “This ain’t about being Republican or Democrat. This is about doing what you know has been proven to work in underserved communities. And we don’t have a baseline for sending the National Guard into communities. It almost seems un-American to have troops enforcing crime.”
Instead of federal troops, he urged investment in police departments and local prevention programs: “Why not put that into police budgets? Why not give them additional funds to help with an issue in the town that they simply know better?”
Unclear future
The proposal underscores the Trump administration’s evolving approach to crime in U.S. cities, particularly those run by Democrats. But key questions remain unanswered: Will Gov. Landry request the Guard? How would deployment zones be chosen? And what role would soldiers play day-to-day?
For now, the plan remains on paper, suspended between a president eager to project toughness on crime and communities wrestling with the long-term realities of safety, equity, and trust.
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