Why Trump’s Use of Military in US Is So Controversial: QuickTake

Aug. 26, 2025, 4:13 PM UTC

President Donald Trump has repeatedly deployed the US military for domestic assignments. In June, he summoned the Guard and the Marines to Los Angeles — over the objections of local leaders — to subdue protests against his administration’s mass arrests of migrants. And in August, Trump called up the Guard to combat violent street crime in Washington, DC.

On Aug. 22, the president suggested he may do the same in other cities. “Chicago’s a mess. You have an incompetent mayor, grossly incompetent. And we’ll straighten that one out probably next,” Trump said. “And then we’ll help with New York.”

Trump ...

Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading:

Learn About Bloomberg Law

AI-powered legal analytics, workflow tools and premium legal & business news.

Already a subscriber?

Log in to keep reading or access research tools.