National Guardsmen Are Questioning Trump's Deployments
National Guardsmen Questioning Trump Deployments In Signal Groupchat
One of the more alarming aspects of President Donald Trump’s second term has been his willingness to deploy the National Guard into American cities he perceives as adversarial to his agenda.
The deployments started in May in response to protests against ICE raids in Los Angeles, and steadily ramped up through the summer, with deployments in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Portland, and Memphis. The guardsmen themselves aren’t entirely on board with the deployments, and a growing number are quietly questioning their purpose.
According to NPR, a group of Ohio National Guardsmen started an anonymous group chat on Signal to voice their growing concerns about the deployments. “I really went to a dark place when they sent the troops to [Los Angeles], and then eventually [Washington, D.C.], and now, Chicago,” J, an anonymous member of the Ohio National Guard, told NPR. This is just not what any of us signed up for, and it’s so out of the scope of normal operations.”
Guardsmen J, along with A and C, spoke to NPR on the condition of anonymity. All three are members of the Ohio National Guard and started the group chat in January in response to executive orders signed by Trump that affected the military. A said that initially, the group chat wasn’t “even necessarily expressing opinions or anything. It’s just expressing questions about things that come out.”
As Trump escalated his deployments, there were growing concerns among the guardsmen about the nature of their missions. “What exactly are we going to be doing? Are we going to have leave? And those answers aren’t very clear – but in the past, it’s always been very clear,” A told NPR. “Anywhere that we go, there’s crucial information that we get about the why behind it. And whenever we don’t get that, especially for these city moves, members ask questions.”
Historically, I think it’s safe to say public opinion of the National Guard was neutral, leaning toward positive. Usually, when there’s a natural disaster, the National Guard is among the first folks there, handing out supplies and helping with humanitarian efforts.
“I have been on two humanitarian-esque missions with the guard, which were awesome, doing the things you see on the commercial, helping these communities,” J told NPR. “And then you want me to go pick up trash and dissuade homeless people in D.C. at gunpoint. Like, no dude. It’s so disheartening every time I see another city – and I just wonder, ‘who’s going to stand up to this?'”
All three members were proud of the work they were doing with the National Guard, but the deployments this year have left them questioning how they’ll be viewed in the future and if they even want to continue serving. “I’ve been in therapy. Lots of therapy has taken me to the point where at least I can be OK if I have to say goodbye. That sucks. Is this tarnishing my service? Is it undoing everything I thought I was fighting for?” C told NPR.
This development isn’t entirely surprising, as there were numerous reports of the National Guard having low morale as a result of the Trump administration’s deployments. Most National Guard members work full-time jobs in addition to serving with the Guard. In addition to dealing with growing negative sentiment toward the Guard among the public, these long-term deployments are messing with their money
It also doesn’t help that Trump’s National Guard deployments have faced significant legal challenges. Trump’s attempts to deploy the Guard in Portland and Chicago have faced several legal obstacles. It’s probably hard to feel good about your mission when you’ve got federal judges actively questioning their legality.
The guardsmen are incredibly concerned about Trump’s desire to use the National Guard to help with ICE’s mass deportation efforts, a move that is illegal under U.S. law. “There is no way I would participate in that,” J told NPR. “I just think when everything is said and done, people are going to have to answer for what we’re seeing now, and I don’t want to be any part of it.”
“I swore an oath to the Constitution, not a person,” C told NPR. “I just really, really implore my peers and everybody outside looking in, to just think about that. Really think about that, and think about what that means. And if there are questions, ask them. Keep talking.”
A large number of the men in my family served in the military, and I can tell you right now that almost all of them can’t believe what they’re seeing when it comes to Trump’s use of the National Guard and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s leadership. While this whole situation is objectively terrible, it is somewhat heartening to know that even those in the National Guard aren’t in agreement with what’s been going down.
SEE ALSO:
Trump Floats Idea Of Deploying National Guard To New Orleans
