Historically, the National Guard is called up by Governors and local officials to respond to emergencies – like climate fueled floods, fires, or storms. In times of war or true national security emergencies, the President can call up the Guard to reinforce our standing military as well. But, no surprise, Donald Trump and his fossil fueled fascist regime are using the National Guard against the American people.
What is more surprising and alarming is the number of Governors – especially almost every Republican governor – who are helping him do it. We’ve been very clear for years, Trump and his fossil fueled fascist regime rely on violence to suppress protest and dissent. And we’ve been consistently clear – under Presidents from all political parties – that using the Guard to break up protests is a bad idea. But Trump is not interested in the law or public safety – as he’s repeatedly shown – he’s calling up the Guard repeatedly to boost the reach of his secret police force (ICE) and terrorize citizens.
But there’s a catch: National Guard units are not supposed to be deployed without the permission of their Governor, and the Governor of the state(s) where they’re deployed. Whether your Governor is a Democrat or a Republican, this gives us an opportunity to stop Trump’s war on Americans. Sign Now to tell your governor: Don’t deploy. Don’t comply. Speak out now and stand strong against Trump’s occupation of American cities.
In at least 19 states, Guard members are assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Troops from several additional states in the Southeast have deployed troops to the nation’s capital, and another two Republican-led states have sent troops to aid Trump’s further militarization of the southern border. In total, 23 of the 27 states with Republican governors are assisting Trump’s war on Americans.
In Los Angeles, Department of Homeland Security agents and National Guard members used tear gas and hit peaceful demonstrators with riot shields while firing “less than lethal” bullets and pepper spray. ICE agents in Chicago shot a pastor with pepper balls while he was praying. They did it again to another pastor in the San Francisco-Bay area just this week. These examples are why we, and other anti-fascist climate groups are calling for a ban on tear gas and other weapons of war on our streets.
But it’s not just the weapons they carry or use to suppress peaceful protest. In Washington, D.C., a National Guard armored vehicle ran a red light and crashed into a civilian car, trapping the driver and sending them to the hospital. Just putting Guard members on the streets of our cities – absent a clear emergency like a climate fueled disaster – is a threat.
And clearly, Trump isn’t done yet: In his September speech to military leaders, Trump outlined an authoritarian playbook for the armed occupations of major American cities. He described a “war from within” and told the country’s top commanders they “should use some of these dangerous cities as training grounds for our military.” The Trump administration is now deploying National Guard units into states that never requested them and don’t want them. Governors hold power and must resist. It was a big part of our demands at the Second No Kings day in October.
The law requires a state’s National Guard to remain under state control with very few exceptions. That means governors can refuse to cooperate, sue to block illegal deployments, and defend their citizens from Trump’s escalating attempts to use state forces as instruments of fear and control.
Every governor in America now faces the same choice: Stand against Trump’s military deployments, or allow the administration to turn American cities into a police state. Click here to send them a message telling them which side you’re on.