WASHINGTON, D. C. – U.S. Rep. Max Miller, a Bay Village Republican, is urging Gov. Mike DeWine to authorize deployment of the Ohio National Guard to Cleveland, citing soaring crime rates and pointing to President Donald Trump’s use of federal troops in Washington, D.C. as a successful model.
In an op-ed published Monday in The Washington Times, Miller argued that Cleveland’s crime crisis demands extraordinary intervention. The city recorded 6,100 violent crimes in 2023, reflecting a violent crime rate of about 1,703 incidents per 100,000 residents, according to Miller. During the first half of 2024, the city recorded 46 homicides.
“My constituents in the suburbs are afraid to go into the city,” Miller wrote in the op-ed. “The Cleveland I grew up in is now unrecognizable. Families no longer feel safe walking down the street, and small businesses are being boarded up.”
Miller specifically cited President Donald Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. as precedent for similar action in Cleveland.
“The District of Columbia faced a similar crisis, with crime rates spiraling out of control,” wrote Miller. “By bringing in the National Guard, President Trump helped stabilize the situation.”
In response to Miller’s opinion piece, the office of Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb released a statement that said his administration’s top priority is reducing crime.
“One victim is too many,“ the statement said. ”The most effective way to keep cities safe is through local law enforcement working hand in hand with our communities, the State of Ohio, and our federal partners.”
The statement said that just last week, U.S. Marshals announced yet another successful operation in Cleveland partnering with our Division of Police and other law enforcement agencies with more than 130 violent fugitives arrested, over 3,000 rounds of ammunition seized, and numerous guns and drugs removed from our streets.
“These are the types of partnerships we need and will continue to advocate for from the federal-level,” the statement said.
DeWine last week said he’s on board with partnerships that are aimed at reducing violent crime, but won’t deploy National Guard troops to Ohio cities for law enforcement.
When asked about Miller’s opinion piece, DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney said he wasn’t aware of any National Guard requests from Bibb.
“The Ohio State Highway Patrol does offer periodic assistance to Cleveland,” said Tierney. “I would suggest contacting the Patrol for more information should you need it.”
Trump deployed approximately 800 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. in August, taking direct federal control of the city’s Metropolitan Police Department as part of what he declared a “crime emergency.”
The president has since expanded his use of federal troops to combat urban crime, recently announcing deployments to Memphis and indicating Chicago and other cities could be next.
The Trump administration has deployed or announced plans to deploy National Guard troops to Memphis, with officials indicating New Orleans, Chicago, Baltimore, and St. Louis are also under consideration. Trump signed an executive order in August establishing specialized National Guard units specifically to address crime in cities.
Miller argued that the D.C. deployment has shown results, writing that “during the crackdown on violent crime in the District, more than 2,000 arrests have been made” and “the city is noticeably safer.”
The Ohio congressman, who represents the 7th Congressional District and serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, defended the approach against critics who might view National Guard deployment as extreme.
“Some will argue that bringing in the National Guard is an extreme measure. I would argue that allowing lawlessness to continue unchecked is far more extreme,” Miller wrote. “The safety of our citizens is not negotiable.”
Miller noted that Cleveland’s police force is struggling with staffing challenges, with 87 officers leaving the police force from January through September of last year. He argued that “the National Guard would bring support to secure high-crime areas, protect critical infrastructure and give our officers the helping hand they deserve.”
The congressman emphasized that such deployment would be temporary but necessary, writing that “allowing the situation to worsen is a dereliction of our responsibility as lawmakers to protect the law-abiding public.”
Miller, a Marine Corps Reserve veteran who previously served in senior positions during Trump’s first term, argued that public safety transcends politics.
“There is no higher duty of government than this,” he wrote.