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Mayor Barbara Lee on Trump's 'mischaracterization' of Oakland
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee speaks on Trump's recent comments on the city.
OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee addressed the Oakland community at a press conference on Thursday, in a response to the Trump administration’s calling out of the East Bay city when announcing he would send National Guard troops into the nation's capital.
Lee’s press conference comes just days after President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard in Washington D.C.
Lee called Trump’s characterization of Oakland as an out-of-control, crime-ridden city "outrageous."
"These cities that have reduced the crime rate…all these cities have Black and brown people living in the cities, and they all have Black mayors. C’mon. We know what dog whistles are and we know what occupation means," she told KTVU.
Last week the Oakland Police Department shared crime data for the first six months of 2025. That data shows violent crime is going down.
Community members we’ve spoken to in the East Bay this week say they are looking for their elected leaders to push back against the actions of the Trump administration.