U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil declined to say whether he backs sending the National Guard to Milwaukee as President Donald Trump weighs sending troops to other cities besides Washington, D.C., to combat crime.
The Janesville Republican spoke at a WisPolitics-State Affairs luncheon in the nation’s capital Sept. 3, 2025, on a range of topics such as trade, immigration and the possibility of a government shutdown.
Steil didn’t say whether he supports sending the National Guard to Milwaukee. Still, he said he’s heard from people in Washington, D.C., that they feel safer in the city and said it’s “absolutely appropriate” to provide resources that help communities maintain public safety.
“Crime, in many ways, operates … like a disease, and so you need to attack it, you need to get it under control. And as you do that, you actually, then, in the future, will need fewer resources to maintain that lower level of crime,” Steil argued.
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Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson was in attendance at the event. During the audience question portion, the Milwaukee mayor noted he disagrees with the Trump administration on the deployment of National Guard troops, but said there are “a whole host” of programs the city has worked with the federal government on, including those related to public safety.
“I would love to work with the president’s administration to continue those sort of programs,” Johnson said, pointing to collaboration between the Milwaukee Police Department and FBI and housing programs as examples.
Steil also said he’s hopeful Congress will avert a government shutdown on Sept. 30, saying the spending process in Washington, D.C., is “absolutely broken.” He said Congress will likely sign off on another continuing resolution to keep funding at current levels.
“I don’t like the situation, but I’d rather have that than a shutdown. Although … the brinksmanship that plays out is frustrating for everybody,” he said.
Steil also said he will continue to push the Trump administration and FEMA to move as quickly as possible after leading Wisconsin congressional members in urging a federal disaster declaration to address flood damage in the Milwaukee area. The declaration would open the door to federal funding for recovery efforts.
Steil said he hopes Trump will make the disaster declaration before the preliminary damage assessment of flooding is completed, but noted the process takes time.
