TL/DR –
The Trump administration’s decision to deploy national guard troops in Los Angeles, despite opposition from the Californian governor, is seen by some as a major escalation risking the politicisation of the US military. Critics argue the last time a US president federalised the national guard against a state governor’s wishes was in 1965, in exceptional circumstances surrounding civil rights marches. Additionally, Trump’s memo federalising the national guard for deployment in LA is written in broad terms, effectively casting it as a nationwide mobilisation and even pre-emptively authorising military presence against anticipated protests.
Trump Administration’s Controversial Deployment of National Guard to LA Sparks Criticism
The Trump administration’s decision to dispatch national guard troops to handle civilian protests in LA represents a significant escalation and threat to the separation of US military and domestic politics, warn armed service veterans. Critics argue that such a move undermines the military’s commitment to staying out of domestic politics, a principle upheld except under extreme circumstances.
Former military leaders believe deploying up to 2,000 troops under federal control into LA presents a worrying deviation from established norms. The last instance a US president utilized the national guard against a state governor’s wishes occurred in 1965 when Lyndon Johnson deployed them for civil rights protection in Alabama.
Trump’s Move Causes Concern
“This politicisation of the armed forces casts the military in a terrible light,” argues Maj Gen Paul Eaton, veteran from the US military. Eaton suspects that this deployment could lead to the invocation of the Insurrection Act of 1807, which grants the president the power to deploy the full US military against rebellions or insurrection.
This deployment, counter to the Californian governor’s wishes, sparked concern among military circles. Trump’s memo authorizing a nationwide national guard mobilization has led many to believe that this action might be a political ploy.
Guard’s Role in Upcoming Protests
Of grave concern is the pre-emptive nature of the memo. It authorizes military deployment against anticipated protests, a provision never before seen in US history. “We’re gonna have troops everywhere,” Trump prophecised.
This use of military in anticipation of civil unrest is precisely what experts from the Brennan Center last summer predicted. Trump had often hinted during last year’s election campaign about using the military against “the enemy within.”
Concerns Over Politicisation of Military
Prior actions of Trump, such as the dismissal of several top military officers without legitimate reasons, have already hinted at a politicisation of the armed services. Retired lieutenant general Jeffrey Buchanan warns, “It will lead to Biden’s generals, and Trump’s generals – or generals who are ‘my guys’ and generals who are ‘not my guys’. That erodes confidence in the military.”
Major concerns also loom over Trump’s upcoming military parade in Washington DC on 14 June, coinciding with his 79th birthday. Janessa Goldbeck, CEO of Vet Voice Foundation, labeled the event ‘deeply unAmerican’ adding, “This is all in line with how Trump views the military as a tool at his personal disposal.”
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