Stop Trump’s Misuse of the National Guard

President Trump just announced plans to deploy the National Guard to Washington, D.C. Once again, he is targeting a majority-Democratic city, bypassing local leaders, and using federal troops as a show of force.

We’ve seen this before. Earlier this year, Trump sent National Guard troops and active-duty Marines into Los Angeles without Governor Gavin Newsom’s consent. A federal judge ruled that action unconstitutional and outside his legal authority. The case is still in the courts, yet Trump is doubling down.

Congress must act immediately. Lawmakers have both the constitutional power and the responsibility to check a lawless executive. They must launch oversight hearings, subpoena all related documents, and pass legislation to strictly limit domestic troop deployments.

In D.C., the president’s threats go even further. He has talked about evicting unhoused residents, hinted at stripping the city’s Home Rule, and smeared the capital as “totally out of control.” This is about punishing political opponents and intimidating voters—not solving real problems.

Deploying the military against American citizens is a line we cannot allow any president to cross. It erodes the separation of powers, undermines local authority, and violates the principles behind the Posse Comitatus Act.

We cannot allow the National Guard to become a partisan weapon. Congress must stop Trump’s misuse of military force before it becomes the new normal.