Hook paragraph – Senate hearing will question military leaders over President Trump’s use of the National Guard in American cities, an unprecedented move that has sparked legal challenges and raised concerns about states’ rights and the use of the military on U.S. soil.
Senate Hearing Sets Stage
The Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing Thursday, where senators are expected to ask Pentagon leaders tough questions about the legality of the National Guard deployments that were carried out in several cities, often against the objections of mayors and governors.
Trump’s Justifications and Legal Pushback
President Trump has defended the deployments by saying the National Guard is needed to support federal law enforcement, protect federal facilities and combat crime. The hearing comes a day after the president faced another legal setback over his use of troops in larger federal operations.
Senator Duckworth’s Threat to Hold the Defense Bill
Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D‑Ill., warned that she would hold up the annual defense bill if Republican leadership continued to block the hearing, calling it long overdue. She said the move would bring the highest level of scrutiny to Trump’s use of the National Guard outside of a courtroom.
Duckworth’s Accusation
“Donald Trump is illegally deploying our nation’s service members under misleading if not false pretexts,” Duckworth told The Associated Press.
Duckworth’s Background and Concerns
Duckworth, a combat veteran who served in the Illinois National Guard, said domestic deployments have traditionally involved responding to major floods and tornadoes, not assisting immigration agents who are detaining people in aggressive raids. She raised questions about how the deployments affect readiness, training and costs, and whether Guard members will have legal protections if an immigration agent wrongfully harms a civilian.
Recent Incident in West Virginia
The hearing comes two weeks after two West Virginia National Guard members deployed to Washington were shot just blocks from the White House in what the city’s mayor described as a targeted attack. Spc. Sarah Beckstrom died a day after the Nov. 26 shooting, and her funeral took place Tuesday. Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe remains hospitalized in Washington.
California Judge Ruling
Meanwhile, a federal judge in California ruled that the Trump administration must stop deploying the California National Guard in Los Angeles and return control of the troops to the state.
Judge Breyer’s Preliminary Injunction
U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco granted a preliminary injunction sought by California officials, but also put the decision on hold until Monday. The White House said it plans to appeal.
Trump’s Call‑Up of 4,000 Troops
Trump called up more than 4,000 California National Guard troops in June without Gov. Gavin Newsom’s approval to further the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts. The move was the first time in decades that a state’s National Guard was activated without a request from its governor and marked a significant escalation in the administration’s efforts to carry out its mass deportation policy.
Current Status of California Troops
The troops were stationed outside a federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles where protesters gathered and later sent on the streets to protect immigration officers as they made arrests. By late October the number had dropped to several hundred. The 100 or so California troops that remain in Los Angeles are guarding federal buildings or staying at a nearby base and are not on the streets with immigration enforcement officers, according to U.S. Northern Command.
Other States Announced
Trump also announced National Guard members would be sent to Washington, D.C., Illinois, Oregon, Louisiana and Tennessee. Other judges have blocked or limited the deployment of troops to Portland, Oregon, and Chicago, while Guard members have not yet been sent to New Orleans.
Congressional Exchange
Florida Democrat Rep. Maxwell Frost and Republican Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana got into a heated exchange over the Trump administration’s use of the National Guard in the capital. “It’s just grand to sit here with other members who have higher murder rates than Washington, D.C., but not invite the president to occupy their own state with the military,” Frost said.
Key Takeaways
- Senators will question Pentagon leaders about the legality of Trump’s National Guard deployments in cities.
- Trump justified the deployments as necessary for federal law enforcement, protection and crime control.
- Legal challenges, including a California ruling and a federal injunction, have halted or limited troop deployments.
The hearing underscores the growing scrutiny of the president’s use of the National Guard on U.S. soil and highlights the legal and political tensions surrounding the practice.
