Trump's apprehensions once harbored by military leaders may be materializing now
Article: Military Leaders Warn Against Trump's Desire to Deploy Troops on U.S. Soil
Concerns about President Donald Trump's desire to deploy the military on U.S. soil have been raised by top military officials, who have historically expressed caution and concern over such a move. The military's use in domestic law enforcement is tightly restricted by laws like the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which prohibits the military from enforcing civilian laws except under exceptional circumstances.
Former White House Chief of Staff John Kelly stated that President Trump had to be repeatedly told why he shouldn't use the military against American citizens, dating back to his first year in office. Kelly also told the New York Times last year that using the military against American citizens is a "very, very bad thing."
In an interview, Esper invoked the Kent State massacre, where the National Guard killed four Vietnam War protesters, stating "We don't want to go back to that." General Milley, the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has described President Trump as a fascist in his 2022 book.
Military leaders have emphasized the importance of adhering to these laws and established rules of engagement that prioritize de-escalation and self-defense rather than direct law enforcement functions. For example, during deployments of the National Guard in cases of protests or unrest, commanders have stressed maintaining discipline, acting within legal limits, and avoiding involvement in policing functions unless an insurrection is declared.
The concern among military officials is that deploying active-duty troops for law enforcement on U.S. soil risks undermining the military’s apolitical stance, overstepping constitutional bounds, and potentially escalating conflicts rather than resolving them. There have also been legal challenges and public debates reinforcing these boundaries.
Jim Mattis, a former defense secretary, issued a blistering statement warning about the potential conflict between the military and civilian society when militarizing responses. Mark Esper, a former defense secretary, described a scene where Trump asked why protesters couldn't simply be shot "in the legs or something."
General Milley reportedly feared Trump might launch a coup after the 2020 election, and in their 2021 book, Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker reported that Milley believed Trump was stoking unrest with his false claims about voter fraud in possible hope of being able to call in the military.
These former administration officials' warnings about Trump's tendencies are particularly notable because they held positions that would make them most aware of Trump's desire to misuse the military. Trump's mobilization of the military two months ago in Los Angeles seemed to fit the category of an appearance of getting tough on crime, but military leaders have warned that using the military for routine law enforcement is a significant and potentially dangerous overreach that must be constrained by law and careful military judgment.
- The concerns among military leaders about President Trump deploying troops on U.S. soil extend beyond domestic law enforcement, as such a move could potentially escalate conflicts instead of resolving them, and risk undermining the military's apolitical stance.
- In his 2022 book, General Milley described President Trump as a fascist, reinforcing the need for the military to adhere to laws and established rules that prioritize de-escalation and self-defense, rather than engaging in direct law enforcement functions.
- The use of the military for routine law enforcement, as suggested by Trump in his mobilization in Los Angeles, is a significant and potentially dangerous overreach that must be constrained by law and careful military judgment, according to military leaders, and this concerns fall under the category of politics, war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, crime-and-justice, and general-news.
