In the wake of a tragic incident involving the fatal stabbing of a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee in North Carolina, former U.S. President Donald Trump has leveraged the event to justify deploying the National Guard to Democratic strongholds in the northern United States. The incident, which initially garnered little national attention, has been thrust into the spotlight following its promotion by Republican lawmakers and far-right influencers.
Iryna Zarutska was reportedly sitting quietly on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, on August 22 when she was attacked without warning by a man sitting behind her. Security footage captured the shocking moment, and the suspect, identified as 34-year-old Decarlos Brown, has been charged with first-degree murder. Brown, an African-American with a history of multiple convictions and an eight-year prison sentence for armed robbery, is also reported to have suffered from mental illness.
Political Ramifications and Trump’s Strategy
Trump has seized upon the graphic video of Zarutska’s murder to bolster his political agenda of deploying federal troops to cities like Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. These cities, under Democratic leadership, have been portrayed by Trump as epicenters of rampant crime. Notably, these areas were among those where Trump lost the 2024 elections by significant margins. His focus has also extended to traditionally left-leaning states such as California and Massachusetts.
Despite the focus on Democratic-led cities, data indicates that the three American cities with the highest violent crime rates per capita are New Orleans, Memphis, and St. Louis—all located in deeply conservative states that have not supported a Democratic presidential candidate in over 25 years. Louisiana, home to House Speaker Mike Johnson, a key Trump ally, is among these states. Yet, Trump has not proposed sending National Guard troops to these regions.
Criticism and Controversy
Trump’s selective targeting of Democratic cities for troop deployment has drawn criticism, with opponents labeling it as part of a broader authoritarian agenda. This includes accusations of attempting to silence the free press through lawsuits and removing non-loyal journalists from the White House press room. Critics also point to the Supreme Court’s decisions, perceived to favor Trump, as part of this authoritarian trend.
On social media, Trump described Brown as a “career criminal” with 14 prior arrests, stating that Zarutska’s “blood is on the hands of the Democrats who refuse to put bad people in jail.” He declared, “North Carolina and every State needs LAW AND ORDER, and only Republicans will deliver it!”
Stephen Miller, a Trump advisor, echoed these sentiments, accusing Democrats of backing “the monstrous and the depraved.”
North Carolina’s Political Landscape
North Carolina, where the murder took place, has been a swing state in recent elections, with Trump securing a narrow three-percent victory in 2024. Despite this, Trump has not mentioned deploying federal troops to North Carolina, which ranks 19th in the nation for violent crime per capita. Zarutska and her family had relocated to the state from Ukraine in 2022, following the Russian invasion of their homeland.
The murder of Iryna Zarutska and its subsequent politicization highlight the complex interplay between crime, politics, and public perception in the United States. As the nation grapples with these issues, the debate over the appropriate use of federal forces in addressing crime continues to be a contentious topic.
