Maryland Gov. Wes Moore today doubled down on his invitation to President Donald Trump to visit Baltimore, insisting that the president should visit so he “he doesn’t have to spout nonsense from the Oval Office.”
“I would love for the president of the United States to actually come and learn,” Moore told CNN. “I would love for him to come spend time with the mayor of Baltimore to go learn about the things we actually need.”
Moore, who initially made the invitation over the weekend in response to the president’s claims about rising crime in US cities, has been trading barbs with Trump over public safety in Baltimore, the state’s most populous city, amid the president’s takeover of law enforcement in the nation’s capital.
Trump earlier in the day ratcheted up his feud with Moore, calling Baltimore a “hellhole” as he publicly declined the governor’s offer.
When asked what he would do if Trump were to activate the Maryland National Guard and send them to Baltimore, Moore said he would “not authorize the Maryland National Guard to be activated for something that is either not mission critical or mission aligned.”
CNN has previously reported that while Trump is afforded certain presidential powers that he could use to deploy the National Guard in US cities to crack down on crime, it would amount to an unprecedented — and according to some experts — illegal move.
Moore also defended his record as governor in addressing crime in the state, arguing that Trump was not taking the issue seriously and that it would have political consequences in future elections.
“The only thing we are hearing is them laughing about the fact that this is a political ploy,” he said, referring to Trump’s Cabinet meeting that took place earlier today. “It is real to people who have lived in communities for so long that have been neglected and that have been ignored.”