US EditionTrump signs executive order establishing ‘specialized’ National Guard units to address crime in cities
President Trump signed an order creating National Guard units trained for rapid deployment to support law enforcement in civil disturbances, with over 2,200 troops currently engaged, officials said.
- On Monday, President Donald Trump signed executive orders directing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to establish specialized National Guard units trained and equipped for public order duties.
- For weeks the administration escalated efforts to address crime in Washington, DC, deploying supporting-state National Guards last week despite overall crime figures being lower this year.
- To assist DC, National Guards from West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Louisiana and Tennessee were mobilized last week, with 2,274 National Guardsmen on the mission as of Sunday morning; Guard members began carrying sidearms and some M4 rifles authorized for `personal protection` under Title 32.
- The orders also direct the U.S. attorney general to review local police orders and task the Department of Justice with investigating flag burning, while Senator Tammy Duckworth objected to possible deployments to Chicago.
- The orders also address flag burning by charging offenders with inciting riots and jail time, while advisers said the order "wouldn't fall afoul of the First Amendment.
42 Articles
42 Articles
Deploying National Guard to cities (Aug. 26, 2025)
On Tuesday's show: President Trump wants specialized National Guard units ready to deploy to U.S. cities to quell civil disturbances and ensure public safety and order. We discuss whether we could see troops deployed here and whether this is largely a pretense to step up immigration enforcement.
Trump orders ‘specialized’ National Guard units to enforce ‘public safety and order’ in US cities
President Donald Trump issued an executive order Monday establishing a “specialized unit” of the National Guard to address crime in Washington DC and other US cities “whenever the circumstances necessitate…where public safety and order has been lost.” The order enables the US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to deploy the National Guard, subject to Title 32 of the US Code, to cities as needed for “quelling civil disturbances and ensuring the pu…
Inside Trump' new secret plan — and the danger that lies ahead
Donald Trump signed an executive order this morning expanding the role of the National Guard in Washington, DC, creating a “specialized unit” that is “dedicated” to “public safety.” Anyone who thought the federal government would pull out after 30 days—following the law—is sadly mistaken. The order draws upon various agencies within the government:The Secretary of Defense shall, subject to the availability of appropriations and applicable law, i…
More on Trump's executive order calling for a 'specialized unit' of National Guard
NPR talks with Christopher Purdy, an Army National Guard veteran and veterans' and democracy advocate, about Trump's order calling for creation of a "specialized unit" of D.C. National Guard troops.
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