Majority opposes Trump sending federal troops into their area to combat crime: Survey

The majority of Americans oppose President Trump sending federal troops into their areas to tackle crime, according to a new survey.

The Economist/YouGov poll, published Thursday, found that 52 percent either strongly or somewhat oppose Trump potentially deploying National Guard troops into their home city to combat crime rates, while 39 percent either strongly or somewhat support it. 

More Americans oppose than support the effort, 49 percent to 42 percent, the survey results show.

When it comes to the Trump administration’s deployment of soldiers to Washington, D.C., Americans are evenly divided, with 45 percent being in favor and another 45 percent being against the deployment of service members to the nation’s capital, the poll found.

The deployment of D.C. troops has been extended through December to allow the soldiers to receive the full scale of benefits for the duration of the mission. 

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Hill that the president is “committed to the long-term safety and security of Washington DC for its residents and visitors.” 

More U.S. adults, 46 percent, are opposed to sending federal troops into cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities than those who support it, 42 percent, according to the poll. 

About 44 percent of Americans said that compared to other major cities, the places to which the president has floated sending in the National Guard have a much or somewhat higher crime rate. Some 16 percent of U.S. adults said the cities’ crime rates are below average, while another 22 percent argued the crime rates are average, the survey shows.

The Economist/YouGov poll was conducted from Aug. 29-Sept. 2 among 1691 U.S. adults. The margin of error was 3.4 percentage points.