Keep Florida’s National Guard mission-ready, for Florida’s sake
Maj. Gen. Steven J. Lepper, USAF (Ret.) and Maj. Gen. Andrew Turley, USAF (Ret.)
Sun Sentinel
Sept. 1, 2025
The sight of armed troops working alongside federal law enforcement in our nation’s capital is an ominous conjuring of the founders’ worst visions.
Unfortunately, a pattern is emerging: In a rare and arguably illegal move, the president, against the wishes of state and local leaders, recently deployed federal and National Guard forces to support federal law enforcement activities in Los Angeles. Now, he’s doing the same thing in Washington, D.C. The difference is that, while falling crime rates suggest that his rationale for activating the National Guard is false, the president seems to have broken no laws. In both cases, though, he has clearly violated norms of civil-military relations dating back to the American Revolution.
National Guard members sign up to train for and perform federal military missions for the Army and Air Force when activated, and to be available to help their communities in times of state and local disasters. They did not sign up to police the streets of Los Angeles, Washington or any other city or state, including Florida. In both cities, troops have encountered protesters who have understandably questioned why they are there. The question we Floridians need to ask is: What’s next?
