Trump threatens $5bn lawsuit over liberal think tank's report on National Guard deployment

Donald Trump's legal team has issued a stern warning to the liberal think tank, the Center for American Progress (Cap), threatening a colossal $5 billion lawsuit. The demand is contingent upon Cap retracting a report released on July 13, 2026, which critically assessed the efficacy of National Guard deployments initiated during Trump's presidency. The report, titled "The Trump Administration's $1.7 Billion National Guard Deployments Fail to Reduce Urban Crime," specifically scrutinized the deployment of National Guard units in Washington D.C., Memphis, and Los Angeles. The think tank's research concluded that these deployments, which carried an estimated price tag of $1.7 billion, failed to yield any measurable or statistically significant impact on crime rates within these urban centers.

Cap's methodology involved a comparative analysis, examining crime trends in cities that received National Guard intervention against those that did not. The findings indicated that the rate of crime reduction in both groups was not statistically distinguishable. Furthermore, the report highlighted a crucial detail: violent crime had already begun a downward trajectory well before Donald Trump assumed the presidency in 2025, suggesting that the National Guard deployments were not the primary catalyst for any observed decreases. The Center for American Progress, a prominent progressive public policy research and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington D.C., is known for its work on a broad spectrum of issues including economic policy, climate change, and social justice. This particular report aimed to provide an evidence-based evaluation of the cost-effectiveness and actual impact of utilizing the National Guard in domestic law enforcement and crime prevention efforts.

The aggressive legal threat from Donald Trump's camp underscores a significant point of contention regarding the utilization of federal resources and military personnel for domestic policing. The report's findings directly challenge the narrative that such deployments represent a successful strategy for combating urban crime. The sheer magnitude of the $5 billion demanded in the lawsuit signifies the perceived severity of the alleged reputational damage to Donald Trump and the policies championed by his administration. This situation brings into sharp focus the complex interplay between political advocacy, independent research, and the potential for legal repercussions faced by organizations that publish critical findings concerning public policy and governmental actions.