Veteran Organizations Raise Alarm Over National Guard Deployment in D.C.
A coalition of military veterans and families with active service members has expressed significant concerns regarding the relocation of National Guard troops to the nation’s capital.
On August 16, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine declared that 150 military police from the Ohio National Guard would be stationed in Washington, D.C. These personnel become part of the Joint Task Force District of Columbia (JTF-DC), contributing to the initiative known as the “D.C. Safe and Beautiful Mission.” Currently, a segment of Ohio veterans is challenging the governor’s decision, arguing that deploying National Guard forces for law enforcement and beautification tasks is both unlawful and counterproductive.
To date, nearly 1,900 guardsmen from seven states, including North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia, have been mobilized for this mission. This action aligns with President Donald Trump’s Aug. 11 executive order that declared a crime emergency in the District of Columbia.
Chris Purdy, an Army National Guard veteran and the founder and CEO of The Chamberlain Network, which advocates for veteran involvement in democratic processes, expressed his concerns. “These are the military of each state effectively,” Purdy stated. “If the president wants to federalize the National Guard, then that’s a fight he can have. For governors to go along with something they know is wrong, is a real dereliction of duty on their part.”
Although members serving on JTF-DC have not been federally activated under Title 10 orders, President Trump reinforced his stance by signing an additional executive order on August 25. This order mandates U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to ensure that each state’s Army and Air National Guard units are prepared to serve as a “quick reaction force” for deployments across the country, aiding federal and local law enforcement in managing civil disturbances and maintaining public safety.
Following approximately ten days of deployment, the president highlighted a significant achievement, noting that D.C. had experienced seven consecutive days without a homicide and an 80 percent reduction in crime rates. However, Dan Maurer, an Army veteran and associate professor at Ohio Northern University College of Law, argues that the president’s plan to deploy National Guard units to various states violates The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878. This law restricts military involvement in civilian affairs unless under extraordinary conditions, such as those described by the Insurrection Act when troops are federalized.
“Assuming the crime rate is statistically lower than it was a week ago — and that you can attribute it to the National Guard — the end is justifying the means and that’s not what the law says,” Maurer explained. “The law prohibits the use of the military even if it’s sufficient, even if it’s successful, unless certain conditions exist that warrant it.”
Additionally, Ohio veterans have voiced worries about the potential impact of deploying Ohio National Guard units on community trust towards military members. Retired Army Brig. Gen. Christopher Dziubek shared his experiences with the branch’s Civil Affairs unit, emphasizing that police possess specialized skills essential for building trust within communities. However, challenges arise when civilians cannot distinguish between law enforcement and military personnel.
“Police are hampered when they put on a uniform in a deployed environment and try to exercise those same skillsets to gain the trust of an indigenous population, in a place where the Army has been for combat operations,” he remarked.
Navy veteran Kenneth Harbaugh expressed concerns about the politicization of service members, particularly when National Guard troops, law enforcement officers, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents operate together in uniform on Washington, D.C. streets.
“I think it should be abundantly clear that National Guard troops are not covering their faces, they are not ashamed of serving in uniform,” Harbaugh stated. “But they are being associated unfairly with other government organizations — levers of power — that are not behaving as professionally. Connecting the National Guard to that is one more step towards politicization of the military and betraying the trust that we have — for so long — held dearly between the military and the society it exists to protect.”
In a recent press release, JTF-DC announced that U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Leland D. Blanchard III, the interim commanding general of the D.C. National Guard, authorized guard members supporting JTF-DC to carry their service-issued weapons “after careful consideration of the security environment.”
“This decision is not something taken lightly,” Blanchard commented. “We are in coordination with our law enforcement partners and all appropriate review processes are in place.”