National Security Leaders for America Responds to Donald Trump’s “Enemies from Within” Statement

Released October 14, 2024

The former President suggests using the National Guard or Military against those who disagree with him. 

Washington, DC National Security Leaders for America (NSL4A) Founder and President, retired Rear Admiral Mike Smith, issued the following statement in response to Donald Trump’s recent comments while being interviewed on Fox News, where he referred to his political enemies as the “enemy from within” and said that the National Guard and the military should be deployed against them.

“Any suggestion that military force should be wielded against political rivals undermines the democratic processes that safeguard life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Mr. Trump’s frightening statement must serve as a wake-up call to his supporters and detractors alike that he does not respect the democratic principles upon which this nation was founded. Our democracy rests on the idea that we resolve our political differences through debate, elections, and the rule of law—not through the coercive power of the military.

Mr. Trump’s statement is un-American and anathema to the system that has served our nation for two-and-a-half centuries.

The laws concerning military deployment are clear. The military is a nonpartisan institution dedicated to defending the Constitution and protecting the nation from external threats. Using the military for personal or political vendettas would erode the independence of this vital institution and set a dangerous precedent, echoing the tactics of authoritarian regimes where power is maintained through fear and intimidation rather than through the consent of the governed.

As citizens of a proudly democratic nation, we all must strongly reject calls to use the military to solve political differences.”