Title: Leaders Respond to Trump's "War from Within" Remarks

(WASHINGTON) — Following President Donald Trump's assertion that the U.S. is engaged in a "war from within," Speaker of the House Mike Johnson defended the president's comments, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed concern. The two leaders discussed the remarks on "Good Morning America" on Wednesday, coinciding with the onset of a government shutdown that began at 12:01 a.m. that day.

Johnson, who admitted he had not heard Trump's comments during a meeting with military leaders, stated that the president "takes crime seriously." He characterized Trump's remarks about violence in American cities as "cherry-picked" from a longer speech. In his address, Trump emphasized that the military's role extends beyond foreign threats to include what he described as a domestic enemy within the country. "It's a war from within," Trump told the assembled military generals at Quantico, Virginia. He further claimed, "We're under invasion from within."

Trump also discussed his plans to increase military involvement in American cities, specifically mentioning Democratic-led areas like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, which he described as being in "bad shape." He suggested that these cities could serve as training grounds for the National Guard, stating, "I told Pete [Hegseth] we should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military National Guard."

In contrast, Jeffries labeled Trump's comments as "deeply disturbing," arguing that they reflect a divisive approach to leadership. He asserted, "A single American should never be viewed as an 'enemy from within' or as target practice for the American military." Jeffries emphasized the importance of using the military to protect against external threats rather than deploying them domestically. He stated, "We have the finest military in the world and they should be used to keep us safe from external enemies."

Trump's comments come in the wake of his decision to send federal troops to Portland, Oregon, amid protests, which he claimed were prompted by domestic terrorism. Both the mayor of Portland and the governor of Oregon have publicly opposed the deployment, stating they did not request federal assistance and objected to the president's actions.