❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is considering the creation of a Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force to respond to protests or civil unrest in American cities.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, National Guard officials, and the Pentagon are involved in drafting the plan.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The proposal is being discussed as of late July to early August, with the Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force troops potentially stationed in Alabama and Arizona.
🎯IMPACT: The plan is expected to face legal and political challenges from Democratic state leaders.
The Trump administration is exploring the establishment of a Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force, which would involve 600 National Guard troops on standby to address civil unrest in American cities. According to internal Pentagon documents, these troops would be stationed at military bases in Alabama and Arizona, ready to deploy within an hour.
The plan, drafted by National Guard officials between late July and early August, would see troops split between the east and west of the Mississippi River. Previous deployments of National Guard troops, such as earlier this year in Los Angeles, California, to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel facing attacks from pro-illegal immigrant rioters, were criticized by Democratic state leaders, including California Governor Gavin Newsom (D). Newsom sued the Trump administration to cancel the deployment, but was soundly defeated in the Ninth Circuit.
The legal framework for rapid response deployments is rooted in Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code. Title 10 allows the President to direct troops without the need for state governor approval, while Title 32 places National Guard troops under state control but with federal funding. The proposed plan would see troops mobilized under Title 32 during civil unrest, bypassing the need for state-level consent.
The program could be implemented as early as fiscal year 2027, with funding coming from the Pentagon’s annual budget.
On Monday, President Trump announced that he is federalizing the D.C. police and deploying the National Guard to the nation’s capital to combat violent crime. Reports indicate that over 800 National Guard troops will arrive in the city over the coming days.
Join Pulse+ to comment below, and receive exclusive e-mail analyses.