Why Trump’s Troop Deployments Threaten American Democracy
Major General William Enyart, USA (Ret.), joined the Brennan Center for Justice’s program, The Briefing, to warn that President Trump’s deployment of troops and federalized National Guard forces into U.S. cities threatens constitutional limits on military involvement in civilian law enforcement.
In this episode of The Briefing, experts break down one of the most urgent national security and constitutional issues facing the United States today: President Trump’s deployment of active-duty troops and federalized National Guard units into American cities — including Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Portland, and Memphis — over the objections of governors and local leaders.
What does it mean for civil liberties, our constitutional system, and the long-standing principle that the U.S. military should not police American citizens?
Featured Speakers:
Elizabeth Goitein, Senior Director, Brennan Center Liberty & National Security Program
Maj. Gen. William L. Enyart, USA (Ret.), former Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard; former Member of Congress
Moderator: Michael Waldman, President & CEO, Brennan Center for Justice
Together, they examine how the Posse Comitatus Act functions as a safeguard against military involvement in civilian law enforcement, why federalizing state National Guard units without the consent of governors represents a profound break from constitutional norms, and how the presence of troops in American cities can suppress civil liberties, chill public protest, and shift the balance of power away from civilian authority.
They also explore the historical fears of standing armies that shaped the Constitution, the legal and practical implications of presidential overreach, and what these deployments mean for the health of American democracy today.
