Issuing the call through his Save America super PAC on Tuesday, President Donald J. Trump demanded that the National Guard be deployed to the streets to stop “smash-and-grab robberies” being carried out by groups of thugs in Democrat-run cities.
“If Democrats don’t immediately stop smash-and-grab robberies, which are taking place in their cities, the National Guard must be called out,” President Trump said in the email sent to his supporters. “There has never been such a thing that has happened in our Country.”
“Large numbers of stores are leaving San Francisco and other cities,” he continued. “Some chains are closing most of their stores, it is all not even believable.”
President Trump, known for his law and order policies, is referencing a spree of robberies being seen across several major cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis, which were especially evident during the Black Friday sales events.
Smash-and-grab robberies are characterized by the smashing of a barrier of a retail store, stealing of merchandize, and then a quick get away. What has made the latest chapter of these crimes more insidious is the involvement of large gangs of people, who deter intervention and exponentially increase the amount of assets stolen.
“Naturally we try not to go to San Francisco anymore because it doesn’t make sense to go there right now,” California shopper Jocelyn Quiroz told KPIX 5 after witnessing a smash and grab robbery in Stanford.
“It feels like they are trying to get people and businesses to leave these cities for some reason,” one of President Trump’s supporters responded on Telegram. “Could they have a plan to buy up all these properties once everyone decides to leave? Maybe they will herd people back in once they have control, so you will own nothing and be happy.”