A new analysis of federal death-certificate data shows America's homicide crisis is concentrated in a relatively small set of cities and that some communities where President Donald Trump has sent or threatened to send the National Guard are not among the nation's deadliest.
USA Facts’ review of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mortality records ranks New Orleans as the nation's deadliest city by homicide, with 46 homicides per 100,000 residents, followed by Memphis at 41, St. Louis at 38 and Baltimore at 36. Washington, D.C., which Mr. Trump has highlighted as a centerpiece of his crime rhetoric, appears later on the list with 36 homicides per 100,000. Los Angeles, where the president also dispatched troops, recorded about seven homicides per 100,000 and did not rank among the top 30.
The findings, which rely on CDC data compiled from death certificates, differ from FBI crime reports that are based on voluntary police reporting and can leave gaps in national comparisons. Analysts say the CDC data provides a clearer, more consistent picture of where homicides are occurring because it draws on coroners’ and medical examiners’ records.
The study's results have sharpened debate over the White House's public-safety strategy. Mr. Trump has repeatedly touted deployments of Guard troops and federal oversight in Democratic-led cities as evidence of his ability to restore order. He has said Washington is "now a crime-free zone" after placing the Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and sending National Guard personnel to the capital. The Justice Department, however, noted that violent crime in the District had fallen to a 30-year low in early 2024, before the federal intervention, and opinion polls showed the move was unpopular among many residents.
The president has signaled that another city will soon receive federal forces, saying officials in the state and city involved were supportive. He has publicly named Chicago as a possible target in the past and has also suggested New Orleans, where Republican Governor Jeff Landry said his state would "welcome help," and other cities including Baltimore and Portland.
Critics argue that the pattern of potential and actual deployments reflects political calculations as much as crime data, contending the administration is choosing jurisdictions where local Republican officials or sympathetic governors will accept federal assistance. Hundreds of protesters in New Orleans recently marched against the prospect of troops, chanting opposition to a federal presence and accusing the president of exploiting the city for political gain.
Supporters of the deployments say visible federal involvement has calmed streets and reassured residents. The killing of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte commuter train in August intensified those appeals for some conservatives, despite Charlotte's homicide rate of about eight per 100,000 — far below the highest-ranked cities. Her death prompted national outrage and became a rallying point for officials who argue local authorities are failing to protect residents and migrants alike.
Other measures of violent crime show mixed trends. A Council on Criminal Justice report found homicides across 30 major cities fell 17% in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024, with reductions in gun assaults and carjackings as well. Still, some cities bucked that trend, with notable increases in places such as Milwaukee and Little Rock.
The administration's emphasis on crime comes as the president seeks to reinforce a political brand centered on public safety. Observers note the politics are not only about objective rates but also about perception, with Republican officials often framing cities run by Democrats as unsafe even when comparative data indicate otherwise.
Law enforcement experts caution that federal troop deployments to American cities raise legal and operational questions about the role of the National Guard and the proper balance between federal assistance and local authority. The Department of Justice and local officials have at times differed on the necessity and timing of federal intervention.
As the White House weighs further actions, the CDC-based homicide rankings and other independent analyses are likely to remain central to discussions about where, if anywhere, federal forces should be used. The debate underscores the broader political stakes of crime policy as the administration highlights public safety while opponents accuse it of politicizing violence for electoral gain.