NEW YORK: US President Donald Trump has stated that he is prepared to deploy “more than the National Guard” to US cities if necessary, further escalating his confrontations with Democratic-led local governments that oppose the use of federal forces.
Speaking aboard the George Washington aircraft carrier, docked at the Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo on Tuesday, Trump’s remarks were frequently interrupted by applause and cheers from the troops.
He addressed the situation in American cities, saying, “We have cities that are troubled … and we’re sending in our National Guard. And if we need more than the National Guard, we’ll send more than the National Guard because we’re going to have safe cities,” reports Reuters.
Since June, Trump has authorised the deployment of National Guard troops to various Democratic-led areas as part of an aggressive approach to use military forces for domestic purposes. These deployments have included Los Angeles, Memphis, and Washington D.C., and Trump is currently involved in legal battles to send troops to Portland and Chicago.
Insurrection Act
In Los Angeles, Trump even went so far as to deploy active-duty Marines, although their role was limited to protecting federal agents and property. These Marines were withdrawn shortly after their deployment.
Trump has left the door open for the use of the Insurrection Act, a law which could allow him to deploy active duty troops for policing purposes, bypassing any legal challenges preventing the use of National Guard units in US cities.
The Insurrection Act permits military personnel to directly engage in law enforcement, including making arrests, which is usually prohibited under federal law. Since the beginning of his second term, Trump has shown little restraint in using presidential powers against political opponents, often testing the limits of the law.
Last month, in a speech to military commanders, he even suggested using US cities as “training grounds” for the armed forces, a proposal that has raised alarm among Democrats and civil rights organisations.
