Political Affairs Across the Nation |

In a recent development, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at enhancing the readiness of National Guard units across the states to assist federal and local law enforcement in quelling civil disturbances.

The order, which is currently under review by the Pentagon, directs Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to ensure that every state's Guard is prepared for rapid mobilization in such situations. This comes amidst Trump's open musings about sending National Guard troops to cities like Chicago and Baltimore.

Interestingly, each state's National Guard already has a reaction force designed for responding to a wide variety of incidents. In the case of the District of Columbia National Guard, there is a unit made up entirely of soldiers trained as military police.

However, the search results do not provide the name of any military police operation by the D.C. National Guard that was planned by President Trump. The potential expansion of a federal intervention in Democratic cities has legal experts and some military officials concerned about potential conflicts not seen since the civil rights era.

One of the legal paths for Trump to use the National Guard as he pleases in a city like Chicago is to invoke the Insurrection Act. This Act allows the President to use the military to suppress an insurrection or rebellion. If invoked, the D.C. Guard could be put on federal orders, leading to some rare situations. For instance, federalized D.C. Guardsmen could be sent to another state, which in turn could activate its own Guard as a counter.

Trump has already set a precedent for this when he deployed troops to Los Angeles over Gov. Gavin Newsom's objections to protect federal property from protests over immigration raids. In this instance, besides 4,000 Guard members, Trump later sent 700 active duty Marines to Los Angeles, leading to a lawsuit over the intervention.

It's worth noting that the unique status of the District of Columbia National Guard allows Trump to use it for armed patrols and trash cleanup without legal issues. However, whether Trump can repeat what he's done in LA and the nation's capital - call up the National Guard and have it assist a surge of federal law enforcement and immigration officers - is an open question.

The Department of Homeland Security has asked Naval Station Great Lakes outside Chicago for support on immigration operations, but the Illinois National Guard and the base have not received requests regarding a mobilization of troops to Chicago.

Despite Trump's claims that these cities are out of control, most violent crime has actually fallen in the cities he has called out. Regardless, the resolution of such a situation could potentially resemble the civil rights era standoff in Alabama, where President John F. Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard.

As the situation unfolds, it is crucial to maintain a clear understanding of the facts and potential implications of Trump's executive order. The Pentagon is currently reviewing the order and its specific requirements, and the legal landscape remains uncertain.