Speaking from the Oval Office, President Donald Trump announced that his administration will broaden its federal crime initiative beyond Washington, D.C., targeting additional cities that he says have been plagued for years by violence, corruption, and weak local leadership.

Building on his recent federal takeover of policing in the nation’s capital, Trump revealed that the next city on his list is Chicago—a city he bluntly described as “a mess” under its current mayoral administration.

The president pointed to what he views as early successes in Washington following his decision to invoke Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, which gave the federal government control over D.C.’s police force.

In the aftermath of violent attacks on government personnel, Trump deployed hundreds of National Guard troops along with federal law enforcement agents to restore order. According to the administration, the results have been immediate and measurable: an eight-day period without a single homicide, as well as sharp declines in carjackings and robberies.

While the Home Rule Act applies exclusively to Washington, D.C., Trump has also leaned on his role as commander-in-chief to extend federal authority to other states and cities. In California, for example, the National Guard was federalized to assist with immigration enforcement and deportation operations, while U.S. Marines provided additional support.

Similar deployments occurred during Trump’s first term in cities such as Portland, Oregon, where clashes between protesters and federal agents drew national attention.