Ted Budd, Republican senator for North Carolina, said President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard is compensating for state and local officials’ inaction in protecting citizens in urban areas.
“Deploying the National Guard wouldn’t be necessary if state and local officials were helping get criminal illegal aliens and violent repeat offenders off the streets,” said Theodore Paul Budd, U.S. Senator from North Carolina. “POTUS is using his full authority to restore law and order and protect citizens in their cities.”
According to Budd, he posted on X a video clip from a Senate hearing where he questioned crime reduction factors in specific cities. The caption linked the need for National Guard deployments to local officials’ failure to address dangerous individuals. He emphasized the president’s commitment to urban safety regardless of political affiliations.
North Carolina has maintained 25 law enforcement partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through programs like 287(g) and Warrant Service Officer agreements. State legislation in 2024 mandated cooperation with ICE detainers and established detention protocols for noncitizens. Additional agencies joined these efforts in 2025 to facilitate identification and deportation processes in the region.
President Trump initiated National Guard deployments to several U.S. cities in 2025 to combat crime trends. Operations occurred in locations such as Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Chicago, Portland, and Memphis, with troop numbers varying by site. Assessments indicated possible immediate deterrence effects while prompting discussions on sustained impacts and resource allocation.
Budd was born on October 21, 1971, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He obtained a Bachelor of Science from Appalachian State University, a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Master of Business Administration from Wake Forest University. Before entering politics, he owned a gun store in Rural Hall and participated in home education advocacy. He served in the U.S. House for North Carolina’s 13th district from 2017 to 2023 before his current Senate term.
