FF Poll: Guardrails

Q1. Earlier this month, President Trump deployed 800 unarmed National Guard troops to Washington, DC, and placed the city’s police department under federal control. Trump said the action was to "rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse." An official said the intervention was to last 30 days, but could change.

On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the President is sending about 800 more Guard troops to DC, possibly armed.

Federal data indicates violent crime in DC was down 35% last year, to its lowest level in 32 years. It ranks 29th in violent crime rate among the 200 largest US cities at 9/1000 people annually, and 10th in homicide rate at 0.25/1000.

Do you approve of this federal intervention in DC policing?

(Image: Guard and onlookers near Capitol, Aug 16, 2025. Getty // AFP )

overall

custom

male

female

rep

ind

dem

18-29

30-44

45-64

65+

Yes, and would want in my city/area

36%

41%

33%

76%

23%

4%

27%

30%

45%

36%

Yes, but wouldn't want in mine

8%

16%

1%

17%

5%

0%

18%

10%

4%

8%

No, but would want in mine

0%

No, and wouldn't want in mine

55%

42%

65%

7%

69%

94%

55%

56%

50%

60%

55%

Not sure

1%

2%

0%

2%

1%

0%

1%

Don't care

0%

1%

0%

Q2. Trump also suggested he might attempt to exert more federal control over other US cities, mentioning Oakland, Baltimore, and New York City.

Below are the top 4 US cities ranked by crime (along with their violent crime rate) from among the 200 largest cities, plus the 67th ranked New York City. Also listed are the top 5 most violent US states.

In which would you like to see the federal government send Guard troops and takeover local policing? (check all that apply)

(Image: National Guard in DC, Aug 16, 2025. Getty // Win McNamee )

overall

custom

male

female

rep

ind

dem

18-29

30-44

45-64

65+

Memphis, TN 25/1000

30%

37%

24%

57%

22%

6%

11%

34%

33%

31%

30%

Oakland, CA 19

33%

41%

27%

69%

22%

4%

37%

30%

37%

30%

33%

Detroit, MI 18

35%

44%

28%

71%

20%

5%

36%

30%

39%

32%

35%

Little Rock, AR 17

26%

30%

22%

46%

19%

9%

20%

26%

28%

24%

26%

Baltimore, MD 16

34%

42%

28%

71%

21%

4%

27%

33%

39%

34%

NYC, NY 7

34%

43%

27%

72%

17%

3%

36%

30%

37%

30%

34%

New Mexico 8

11%

12%

10%

19%

9%

3%

9%

8%

13%

11%

Alaska 7

8%

9%

13%

6%

5%

9%

5%

10%

8%

Arkansas 6

10%

11%

9%

14%

7%

8%

9%

8%

10%

13%

10%

Louisiana 6

12%

13%

12%

19%

8%

9%

8%

15%

17%

12%

Tennessee 6

11%

12%

11%

17%

7%

8%

9%

8%

13%

15%

11%

None of these

55%

45%

62%

13%

70%

88%

55%

63%

48%

56%

55%

Not sure

2%

4%

2%

0%

3%

2%

3%

2%

Don't care

2%

3%

1%

4%

0%

9%

0%

1%

0%

2%

Q3. The rate of violent crime in the US rose steadily from 1960 when it was 2/1000 people, peaking in 1992 at 8/1000. Since then, it has steadily declined to the current rate of 3.5/1000. Large cities generally followed this same pattern.

Do you think crime is a major problem in the US today?

overall

custom

male

female

rep

ind

dem

18-29

30-44

45-64

65+

Group A

Yes, including in my area

42%

45%

40%

66%

39%

21%

30%

50%

44%

37%

42%

Yes, but not in my area

28%

32%

24%

33%

23%

24%

52%

17%

26%

27%

28%

No

26%

21%

28%

0%

35%

47%

18%

27%

26%

30%

26%

Not sure

2%

3%

0%

3%

4%

0%

4%

1%

5%

2%

Group B

Yes, and sending Guard a good response

39%

46%

33%

81%

23%

4%

27%

37%

46%

36%

39%

Yes, but sending Guard not a good response

33%

28%

36%

14%

41%

48%

46%

35%

26%

31%

33%

No

24%

19%

27%

1%

32%

43%

18%

22%

25%

28%

24%

Not sure

3%

4%

2%

4%

3%

2%

9%

2%

1%

2%

3%

Group C

Yes, and fed takeover of local police good idea

30%

35%

27%

62%

20%

4%

20%

25%

38%

30%

Yes, but fed takeover of police not good idea

39%

37%

41%

30%

43%

46%

53%

44%

33%

35%

39%

No

25%

20%

28%

1%

32%

44%

18%

22%

25%

30%

25%

Not sure

4%

7%

2%

7%

3%

2%

9%

6%

2%

4%

Don't care

0%

1%

0%