Washington – Donald Trump wants to establish a military"reaction force" specifically to suppress civil unrest and protests.
This is allegedly confirmed by internal Pentagon documents obtained by the Washington Post. They speak of a new mission for the National Guard, which will be on call around the clock and ready to deploy within an hour. According to the US newspaper, hundreds of soldiers will be part of the force in the future.
▶︎ The US President's administration will review the plans, it is said. The new force will consist of National Guardsmen and be able to be deployed quickly in American cities experiencing protests or unrest.
▶︎ Approximately 600 soldiers will be divided into two groups of 300 men each and stationed at military bases in Alabama and Arizona – one for the regions east and one for the west of the Mississippi.
Hundreds of millions of dollars in costs
The cost forecast included in the documents, however, is quite significant: Such a mission could cost hundreds of millions of dollars if military aircraft and crews had to be operational around the clock.
▶︎ The fact is: The previously unpublished proposal represents a further possible expansion of President Trump's willingness to deploy military forces on American soil.
▶︎ Explosive: The plan is based on a section of the U.S. Civil Code that allows the commander-in-chief to circumvent restrictions on the use of the military within the United States.
According to the documents, fiscal year 2027 is the earliest date this program could be launched and funded under the Pentagon's traditional budget process.
▶︎ But: It remains unclear whether the initiative could start earlier through an alternative source of funding.
▶︎ It also remains unclear whether the proposal has already been presented to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Defense Department spokespeople declined to comment. The National Guard Bureau also did not respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post.
Background: Trump, like few of his predecessors, has already called up the military for domestic political purposes. He most recently did so on Monday, when he authorized the mobilization of 800 Washington National Guard troops to bolster law enforcement efforts in the capital, which he says are necessary to combat violent crime.
However, Washington D.C. police data show that such incidents are declining; the city's mayor called the move"disturbing and unprecedented."