The Trump administration has given its OK for Louisiana to deploy up to 350 of its National Guard members to “counter high rates of violent crime in New Orleans and other metropolitan areas” of the state, according to a statement Tuesday from the Pentagon.
Gov. Jeff Landry shared news of the deployment, which the U.S. Department of Defense has authorized through Feb. 28, during an appearance on Fox News, saying it was an action “which we desperately need.”
“We know how to make cities safe,” Landry said in an interview with Will Cain, “and the National Guard complements cities that are having high crime problems.”
Though police in Louisiana’s major metropolitan areas have reported decreasing crime trends in recent years, their rates of violent and property offenses have continued to stay above the national average.
The governor has sought official approval from the Trump administration to use National Guard troops in Louisiana for months. Although Landry has authority to activate the state militia on his own, the official nod from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signals the federal government will cover the cost, though the Pentagon statement did not mention any financial details.
Landry touted President Donald Trump’s move to bring National Guard troops, including 135 from Louisiana, to patrol Washington, D.C. Those members will return to Louisiana to supplement local police efforts, said Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux, adjutant general of Louisiana.
This will be the second year in a row National Guard members will be part of the enhanced law enforcement presence in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. The Biden administration approved their use following the Jan. 1 terror attack on Bourbon Street, where 14 people were killed and 37 injured.
Guard members are expected to return to New Orleans just after Christmas, having just helped augment city and state police for the annual Bayou Classic festivities during Thanksgiving weekend.
The Pentagon has approved a deployment of up to 350 Louisiana National Guard members to the state’s metropolitan areas through Feb. 28, 2026. (Louisiana National Guard photo)
