{"id":370,"date":"2026-01-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/?p=370"},"modified":"2026-01-07T10:41:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T15:41:00","slug":"the-national-guard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/the-national-guard\/","title":{"rendered":"The National Guard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The National Guard in Washington DC on ..... President Donald Trump mobilized 800 National Guard troops to DC on Aug. 15, 2025 to support local law enforcement. Photo by Amanda J. Crawford<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/NATLGDDC2-CRAWFORD-1024x768.jpg\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/NATLGDDC2-CRAWFORD-1024x768.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-608\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/NATLGDDC2-CRAWFORD-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/NATLGDDC2-CRAWFORD-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/NATLGDDC2-CRAWFORD-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/NATLGDDC2-CRAWFORD-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/NATLGDDC2-CRAWFORD.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">
The Nation\u00adal Guard in Wash\u00ading\u00adton DC on .\u2026. Pres\u00adi\u00addent Don\u00adald Trump mobi\u00adlized 800 Nation\u00adal Guard troops to DC on Aug. 15, 2025 to sup\u00adport local law enforce\u00adment. Pho\u00adto by Aman\u00adda J. Craw\u00adford.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Arti\u00adcle 2, Sec\u00adtion 2<\/strong> of the U.S. Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion des\u00adig\u00adnates the pres\u00adi\u00addent as the com\u00adman\u00adder-in-chief of the army and navy of the U.S. and of the mili\u00adtia of the states \u2013 now called the Nation\u00adal Guard \u2013 when it is called into nation\u00adal ser\u00advice.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until 1916, states main\u00adtained their Nation\u00adal Guards on their own. Now, the fed\u00ader\u00adal gov\u00adern\u00adment helps, pro\u00advid\u00ading fed\u00ader\u00adal fund\u00ading. Under cer\u00adtain cir\u00adcum\u00adstances, the Nation\u00adal Guard can be draft\u00aded into nation\u00adal ser\u00advice or deployed domes\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arti\u00adcle 1, Sec\u00adtion 8<\/strong> allows Con\u00adgress to call the \u201cMili\u00adtia to exe\u00adcute the Laws of the Union, sup\u00adpress Insur\u00adrec\u00adtions and repel Inva\u00adsions.\u201d In 1792, Con\u00adgress passed the Mili\u00adtia Act, which tem\u00adporar\u00adi\u00adly des\u00adig\u00adnat\u00aded this pow\u00ader to the pres\u00adi\u00addent only in times of cri\u00adsis. In 1795, Con\u00adgress gave the pres\u00adi\u00addent this pow\u00ader per\u00adma\u00adnent\u00adly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anoth\u00ader law passed in 1903, 10 U.S. Code sec\u00adtion 12406<\/strong>, also allows the pres\u00adi\u00addent to \u201ccall into Fed\u00ader\u00adal ser\u00advice mem\u00adbers and units of the Nation\u00adal Guard of any State in such num\u00adbers as he con\u00adsid\u00aders nec\u00ades\u00adsary to repel the inva\u00adsion, sup\u00adpress the rebel\u00adlion, or exe\u00adcute those laws.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These stat\u00adues were Pres\u00adi\u00addent Don\u00adald Trump\u2019s jus\u00adti\u00adfi\u00adca\u00adtions to send or threat\u00aden to send the Nation\u00adal Guard to Demo\u00adc\u00adra\u00adt\u00adic cities like Wash\u00ading\u00adton D.C., Los Ange\u00adles, Port\u00adland and Chica\u00adgo, which he claimed were over\u00adrun by crime and in need of inter\u00adven\u00adtion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a mem\u00ado\u00adran\u00addum on Aug. 11, 2025, Trump said: \u201cIt is a point of nation\u00adal dis\u00adgrace that Wash\u00ading\u00adton, D.C., has a vio\u00adlent crime rate that is high\u00ader than some of the most dan\u00adger\u00adous places in the world.\u201d It went on to allow the Sec\u00adre\u00adtary of Defense to \u201ccoor\u00addi\u00adnate with State Gov\u00ader\u00adnors and autho\u00adrize the orders of any addi\u00adtion\u00adal mem\u00adbers of the Nation\u00adal Guard to active ser\u00advice, as he deems nec\u00ades\u00adsary and appro\u00adpri\u00adate, to aug\u00adment this mis\u00adsion.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

States are suing the admin\u00adis\u00adtra\u00adtion for the deploy\u00adments. In Sep\u00adtem\u00adber 2025, U.S. Dis\u00adtrict judge Charles Brey\u00ader ruled in favor of Cal\u00adi\u00adfor\u00adnia, which sued Trump for his deploy\u00adment of troops into Los Ange\u00adles over the sum\u00admer in response to protests over immi\u00adgra\u00adtion enforce\u00adment. Brey\u00ader, in his opin\u00adion<\/a>, said that Trump sought to cre\u00adate a \u201cnation\u00adal police force.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014by Mikay\u00adla Bun\u00adnell, UConn Jour\u00adnal\u00adism <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EXECUTIVE POWER<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
NATIONAL GUARD<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
REDISTRICTING<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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DUE PROCESS<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
IMPEACHMENT<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
ELECTIONS<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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NO KINGS<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
COURTS<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
TARIFFS<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Back to Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion Main Page<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Arti\u00adcle 2, Sec\u00adtion 2 of the U.S. Con\u00adsti\u00adtu\u00adtion des\u00adig\u00adnates the pres\u00adi\u00addent as the com\u00ad\u00adman\u00adder-in-chief of the army and navy of the U.S. and of the mili\u00adtia of the states \u2013 now called the Nation\u00adal Guard \u2013 when it is called into nation\u00adal ser\u00advice.   Until 1916, states main\u00adtained their Nation\u00adal Guards on their own. Now, [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1086,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[176],"tags":[109,116,124,135,112,91,93,140,100],"class_list":["post-370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-constitution","tag-article-1","tag-article-2","tag-california","tag-congress","tag-courts","tag-executive-power","tag-national-guard","tag-war-powers","tag-washington-d-c"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":336,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/constitutional-crisis-or-executive-prerogative\/","url_meta":{"origin":370,"position":0},"title":"Constitutional crisis or executive prerogative?","author":"Mikayla Bunnell","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"How Trump's actions on due process, courts, elections and executive power stack up against our nation's founding document The Constitution of the United States, \"The Signing\" by artist Howard Chandler Christy, circa 1900. Courtesy of Library of Congress By Mikayla BunnellUConn Journalism \"We the People of the United States, in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Constitution"","block_context":{"text":"Constitution","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/constitution\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/signing-of-constitution-1900-Howard_Chandler_Christy-artist.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/signing-of-constitution-1900-Howard_Chandler_Christy-artist.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/signing-of-constitution-1900-Howard_Chandler_Christy-artist.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/signing-of-constitution-1900-Howard_Chandler_Christy-artist.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":441,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/07\/executive-power-overview\/","url_meta":{"origin":370,"position":1},"title":"Trump\u2019s second term shifts the balance of power to the executive ","author":"Dan Stark","date":"January 7, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Dan Stark\u00a0UConn Journalism Unparalleled. Unprecedented. Unchecked.\u00a0\u00a0 These\u00a0are\u00a0some of the words that have been used by many to describe the actions of President Donald Trump during his second term in office.\u00a0\u00a0 Upon returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has taken sweeping actions that have promoted a broad\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Executive Power"","block_context":{"text":"Executive Power","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/executive-power\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/January_2025_Official_Presidential_Portrait_of_Donald_J._Trump.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/January_2025_Official_Presidential_Portrait_of_Donald_J._Trump.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/January_2025_Official_Presidential_Portrait_of_Donald_J._Trump.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/January_2025_Official_Presidential_Portrait_of_Donald_J._Trump.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":372,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/tariffs\/","url_meta":{"origin":370,"position":2},"title":"Tariffs","author":"Mikayla Bunnell","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The parking lot of a Walmart grocery store. Consumer prices have been impacted by tariffs. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide if President Trump's tariffs are constitutional. Photo by Connor Sharp. Article 1, Section 8\u00a0establishes that Congress can regulate commercial activity between the U.S. federal government and foreign nations, between\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Constitution"","block_context":{"text":"Constitution","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/constitution\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/12\/EXEC-First3-grocery-ctore.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":359,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/impeachments\/","url_meta":{"origin":370,"position":3},"title":"Impeachments","author":"Mikayla Bunnell","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Capitol in Washington DC at night on Oct. 21, 2025. Articles of impeachment are introduced and passed by the House of Representatives and tried by the Senate. Photo by Lily Goldblatt. While the House has the sole power to bring about an impeachment according to Article 2, Section 2,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Constitution"","block_context":{"text":"Constitution","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/constitution\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/DC_capitol_at_night_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/DC_capitol_at_night_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/DC_capitol_at_night_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/DC_capitol_at_night_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/DC_capitol_at_night_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/DC_capitol_at_night_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":320,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/executive-power\/","url_meta":{"origin":370,"position":4},"title":"Executive Power","author":"Mikayla Bunnell","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The White House in Washington, DC, on Oct. 21, 2025. Article 2 of the Constitution establishes the office of the presidency, including pardoning powers. Photo by Lily Goldblatt. Article 2, Section 1, established the office of the presidency. The clause requires that the president and the executive branch \u201cfaithfully executes\u201d\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Constitution"","block_context":{"text":"Constitution","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/category\/constitution\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/white-house_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/white-house_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/white-house_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/white-house_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/white-house_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/files\/2025\/11\/white-house_10212025-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":363,"url":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/balance-of-power\/2026\/01\/05\/elections\/","url_meta":{"origin":370,"position":5},"title":"Elections","author":"Mikayla Bunnell","date":"January 5, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"\"I Voted\" sticker from California's 2020 election. 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