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In this article, Phoenix discusses his opinion on the National Guard and its usage under President Trump.
National Guard deployments: Opinion
National Guard deployments: Opinion
By: Sir Phoenix C. Robinson
By: Sir Phoenix C. Robinson
Throughout his holding of Presidential office, Donald Trump has been involved in a tsunami of controversies. From the Epstein Files to questionable cabinet appointments, Trump can't seem to find a break. A recurring controversy that has been revived from the depths of his first presidency regards the National Guard and its domestic deployment. Coast to coast, Trump has made the questionable choice of either threatening or deploying the National Guard to the United States' largest cities.
The National Guard describes itself as the primary combat reserve force for the United States of America. The unique characteristic of the National Guard is that they are the only military force with the ability to operate on foreign and domestic soil. The National Guard is able to be deployed by state governors in the event of emergencies such as natural disasters, riots, or other reasons. The President of the United States of America also has the authority to deploy the National Guard, but this is usually to reinforce U.S. troops abroad or maintain control over domestic emergencies. An example of one of these situations is the Little Rock Nine. As the National Park Service recounts this historical event, President Eisenhower federalized the 101st Airborne and Arkansas National Guard to protect African-American students during the reintegration of previously segregated schools.
The twenty-first century has had many unique National Guard deployments, especially when compared to the reasons behind past deployments. According to CNN, in June of 2020, then-President Donald Trump had ordered the deployment of thousands of non-federalized guardsmen from eleven different states to operate in law enforcement capacities within the District of Columbia. This was in response to the Black Lives Matter protests that had swept the country at the time. Now, four years later, Trump is using the National Guard more than ever. Cities like Memphis, Chicago, New Orleans, Baltimore, Oakland and New York City have all been threatened with the usage of the National Guard.
In a similar move to four years in the past, the D.C. National Guard has been activated within the district once more. However, the activities of the National Guard have come into question by the public. Guardsmen can be seen picking up trash in parks at one moment and patrolling tourist hotspots with rifles the next. In a set of interviews conducted by NPR, National Guardsmen in D.C. were anonymously interviewed and asked to give their opinions. One guardsman said, “I think there was a misunderstanding of why we're here. People were assuming the worst-case scenario, and now that we've kind of settled in our role… I think people are finally understanding that we are here to help.” He went on to say, “A lot of people have pointed out that the guardsmen are in areas where there's not a lot of crime, which is the point. We're here so the local police don't have to come here, and local police can go crack down on crime and make their arrests.”
Another notable deployment is to the City of Los Angeles. Since June 8, 2025, the California National Guard has been deployed within Los Angeles in response to the ICE riots. Numbers have been estimated to be as many as 4,700 Guardsmen and Marines by NBC. Up until this point, the United States Marines had never been domestically deployed in history. This is because of the Posse Comitatus Act, an act stating that the military is forbidden from participating in civilian law enforcement, with the exception of suppressing domestic violence (like a revolution). Politico recalls that the way in which the act was circumvented was through the Insurrection Act. Many in the political community question whether the move is just or even legal. On July 21, the Marines were sent back as ordered by the Pentagon. This comes after many in the judiciary across all levels of government ruled the 4,700 strong deployment to be in part or totally illegal. According to the Office of the Governor of California, there are still 200 members of the National Guard who have been mobilized around Los Angeles, as of Sept. 4, 2025.
As of writing this article, yet another National Guard deployment has occurred, this time in the City of Portland. Oregon Public Broadcasting quoted Trump as saying he is “authorizing Full Force” and handling “domestic terrorists” in the city. The story is still developing, so information is limited, but it is believed that Trump wants to cut down on the alleged radical left that is making Portland “war-torn.”
Los Angeles, Portland, and even our own capital are all being kept under the watchful eye of what was meant to a Governor’s Militia, now puppeted by the President. Some people see it as a righteous act of justice, some see it as a gross abuse of power. As violence spikes across the country and the polarization of politics creates a larger divide amongst Americans, there is no telling what will happen next. Whatever comes, the National Guard will certainly be a pivotal part of the history we are making.
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