In early August, President Donald Trump activated and deployed the D.C. National Guard to the streets of Washington, D.C., purportedly to crack down on the city’s crime. Now, three Republican governors have announced their intention to also deploy Guard troops to the nation’s capital, a predominantly Democratic city. Although there are still more questions than answers concerning the scope, mission, and length of each National Guard unit’s deployment (as well as their coordination with other federal law enforcement agencies), I want to flag a few important questions and provide context for what we know so far. The answers to these questions go beyond the current situation in D.C., as the president’s reliance on untested legal authorities, combined with his willingness to use the military for myriad domestic missions in D.C. and elsewhere, may well foreshadow broader use of the military in other American cities.
Trump, the National Guard, and the District of Columbia: What You Need to Know (Mark Nevitt – Just Security)
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