US Government Orders National Guard Troops for "Crowd Control", Critics Warn of Potential Abuse
The US Pentagon has issued a directive to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and its territories requiring them to form "quick reaction forces" trained in riot control. This move comes after President Donald Trump's August executive order deploying national guard troops to fight crime in Washington DC, and critics warn that this could be an attempt to normalize a militarized police force.
The memo, signed by Maj Gen Ronald Burkett, sets thresholds for the size of these quick reaction forces, with most states required to train 500 national guard members, totaling around 23,500 troops nationwide. The troops will be trained in riot control, including the use of batons, body shields, Tasers, and pepper spray.
Former US Marine Corps Captain and CEO of the Vet Voice Foundation, Janessa Goldbeck, described this order as "an attempt by the president to normalize a national, militarized police force". She warned that these troops could be used to send teams to states led by Democratic governors without their permission and potentially disrupt elections or suppress turnout.
While the Pentagon did not respond to repeated requests for comment, a White House spokesperson claimed that Trump has lawfully deployed the national guard in response to violent riots and to assist local law enforcement. However, critics point out that this order goes beyond these original intentions and represents a significant shift towards militarizing domestic law enforcement.
The directive also requires the deployment of military trainers to every state and US territory, with the goal of making these quick reaction forces operational by January 2026. Each state is expected to report monthly on its progress.
Military experts note that this is not an unprecedented move but rather a concerning development in the history of national guard deployments. The Chamberlain Network, which filed an amicus brief at the supreme court opposing Trump's deployment of national guard troops to Illinois, described these actions as reminiscent of earlier eras when national guard troops were frequently deployed to quell protests and disturbances.
This move raises serious concerns about the potential for abuse of power and the erosion of civil liberties.
The US Pentagon has issued a directive to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and its territories requiring them to form "quick reaction forces" trained in riot control. This move comes after President Donald Trump's August executive order deploying national guard troops to fight crime in Washington DC, and critics warn that this could be an attempt to normalize a militarized police force.
The memo, signed by Maj Gen Ronald Burkett, sets thresholds for the size of these quick reaction forces, with most states required to train 500 national guard members, totaling around 23,500 troops nationwide. The troops will be trained in riot control, including the use of batons, body shields, Tasers, and pepper spray.
Former US Marine Corps Captain and CEO of the Vet Voice Foundation, Janessa Goldbeck, described this order as "an attempt by the president to normalize a national, militarized police force". She warned that these troops could be used to send teams to states led by Democratic governors without their permission and potentially disrupt elections or suppress turnout.
While the Pentagon did not respond to repeated requests for comment, a White House spokesperson claimed that Trump has lawfully deployed the national guard in response to violent riots and to assist local law enforcement. However, critics point out that this order goes beyond these original intentions and represents a significant shift towards militarizing domestic law enforcement.
The directive also requires the deployment of military trainers to every state and US territory, with the goal of making these quick reaction forces operational by January 2026. Each state is expected to report monthly on its progress.
Military experts note that this is not an unprecedented move but rather a concerning development in the history of national guard deployments. The Chamberlain Network, which filed an amicus brief at the supreme court opposing Trump's deployment of national guard troops to Illinois, described these actions as reminiscent of earlier eras when national guard troops were frequently deployed to quell protests and disturbances.
This move raises serious concerns about the potential for abuse of power and the erosion of civil liberties.
I'm all for keeping order in DC but deploying 23k+ troops across the country just feels like a recipe for disaster 
they're basically setting up a militarized police force and that's not something you want to see happen in a democracy. what if these troops get deployed to blue states without permission? it could be disastrous for the entire election process 
i'm all for law and order but we need to make sure our cops are getting their training from the right people, not some military folks who may not have a clue about domestic politics 
. I mean, what's next? Are they gonna start deploying troops to every protest and shutting them down for no reason? It's like, where does it end?!
. What if they're trying to suppress votes or something?! I mean, we're already talking about voter suppression with all the voter ID laws and stuff, but this is like, a whole different level of crazy.
this is exactly what the founding fathers fought against. and what's with the lack of transparency? no comment from the pentagon, just a bunch of spin from the white house 
meanwhile, democratic governors are gonna be worried sick about their states being "disrupted" by these troops 
. It's essential to consider that these troops could be used to target states with Democratic governors without their permission 
, potentially disrupting elections or suppressing turnout. We need to ensure that such measures are implemented in a way that respects civil liberties and protects the democratic process 
which is super concerning because we don't need that kind of power in our hands 
... I mean, what's next? The military in every neighborhood? 
And what about when the protests are peaceful and we're just tryin' to make some noise about the things that matter? 
I don't want some heavily armed guard manning every corner, waitin' for a reason to crack down. It's like they're tryin' to take away our right to free speech and assembly... what's next, curfews at 10 pm? 
That's just not right. We gotta stand up against this kind of thing, even if it's uncomfortable. 
dont be surprised if it gets violent tho, ppl can get pretty heated when their voices arent being heard