President Donald Trump on Monday defended his use of federal forces to quell unrest in Washington, D.C., and signaled he may extend the strategy to other cities, rejecting accusations that he is governing as a strongman. “A lot of people are saying maybe we’d like a dictator. I don’t like a dictator. I’m not a dictator,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. The remarks came as the president signed a package of crime-focused executive orders that roll back cashless bail, criminalize flag burning and expand penalties for property destruction. Trump said the measures, coupled with an existing federal crackdown in the capital, are necessary to counter what he described as surging violent crime. Singling out Chicago, which has recorded the nation’s highest murder tally for 13 consecutive years, Trump called the city “a killing field” and warned he would deploy National Guard troops if local officials fail to stem the violence. Residents there, he said, are “screaming for us to come.” Civil-liberties advocates have criticized the administration’s growing reliance on federal forces for domestic policing, arguing it risks eroding local authority. The White House maintains the actions are legal and proportionate to the scale of urban violence.