Veterans and Experts Warn of Risks to State Authority and Military Integrity as National Guard Deployments Continue in American Cities
Retired High-Ranking Military Leaders, Democracy Experts Discuss Consequences to Troop Morale, Public Trust, Rule of Law
WASHINGTON — Federal deployment of troops to American cities is unpopular, highly-political in nature, and drastically lowers troop morale, said retired military leaders, veterans, and democracy experts in a briefing on Thursday.
Experts from Vet Voice Foundation, Protect Democracy, and the States United Democracy Center discussed how the president’s targeting of cities and states led by officials outside his political party, his attacks on state and local authority, and the strain these deployments place on servicemembers, all fit into a broader pattern of politicizing what should be an apolitical military.
“The deployments are based essentially on politics, not on any operational considerations,” said Brigadier General Steven M. Anderson, U.S. Army (Ret.). “The police do not need our help; [the National Guard is] being deployed because of Trump’s desire to politicize the military.”
“Americans stand proudly behind our military and we need our political leaders to do the same,” said Beau Tremitiere, Counsel and Deputy Impact Director at Protect Democracy. “Put simply, politicized missions serve no one—not our servicemembers, not the communities in which they’re deployed. That is not the mission our citizen soldiers signed up for.”
Panelists also detailed the consequences of these domestic deployments: erosion of public trust in the military, risks to troops who are not trained for these missions, diversion from essential duties and operational needs, impacts on combat preparedness, and serious effects on troop morale.
“Presidents come and go, politics shift, but the integrity of our armed forces, our sons and daughters, our friends and neighbors must endure,” said Janessa Goldbeck, CEO of Vet Voice Foundation. “A strong democracy requires strong guardrails, and one of the most important is keeping our military out of political fights. When we erode that guardrail, even a little, we open the door to a future where Americans start to fear the very institution that is meant to protect them.”
Notably, the unprecedented overreach of federal authority has prompted leaders from California, D.C., Oregon, Illinois to push back in court.
“Not only are these deployments unpopular—they’re also an unprecedented attack on state and local authority,” said Andrew Boyle, Senior Counsel at the States United Democracy Center. “They’ve been carried out against the wishes of governors, mayors, and local law enforcement, which is why we’re seeing leaders across the country—from California, D.C., Oregon, Illinois—fighting back in court.”
The discussion followed States United and Protect Democracy’s joint filing of an amicus brief on behalf of veterans and retired military leaders in District of Columbia v. Trump, a case challenging the President’s authority to unilaterally direct the D.C. National Guard and call in troops from other states absent a clear emergency or consent from D.C. officials. A federal district court previously ruled the deployment unlawful; that ruling is temporarily paused, allowing the Guard to remain in place for now while the administration proceeds with its appeal.
Read a summary of the brief here.
A recording of the briefing is available upon request.
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About the States United Democracy Center
States United is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the rule of law and free, fair, secure elections. We provide direct support to state officials and law enforcement leaders as they uphold the law and our system of checks and balances, protect public safety, defend elections, and preserve our democracy. For more information, visit statesunited.org.
About Vet Voice Foundation
Vet Voice Foundation, a veteran-led 501(c)(3), mobilizes veterans to lead, advocate, and fight for a stronger, more just America. We champion policies that keep promises made to those who serve, support better lives and livelihoods for veterans and their families, protect our freedoms, and advance national security. Through education, action, and bold leadership, we lift veterans’ voices to shape the future we swore to defend.
About Protect Democracy
Protect Democracy Project is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing American democracy from declining into a more authoritarian form of government. We provide public education about threats to democratic norms and institutions and how the American people can best confront them. We bring together conservatives, moderates, and progressives around a shared goal: strengthening the laws and guardrails that constrain authoritarianism and building a truly representative and responsive democracy. For more information, visit: protectdemocracyproject.org