A new report claims that President Donald Trump’s administration is developing plans to potentially create a “Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force” of 600 U.S. National Guard troops that could be quickly deployed in the event of civil unrest.
According to internal Pentagon documents obtained by The Washington Post, the Trump administration’s “Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force” plan would involve roughly 600 National Guard troops being ready to deploy at all times. The outlet noted that the National Guard troops would be separated into two groups of 300 troops at military bases in Arizona and Alabama and would be ready to deploy in as little as one hour.
The Washington Post reported that while the Pentagon documents have been marked as predecisional, the documents contain comprehensive plans and discussions regarding the potential implications of the creation of a National Guard “reaction force.” According to The Washington Post, the plans have been compiled by the National Guard and have time stamps from late July and early August.
READ MORE: Trump deploys Nat’l Guard in DC, takes federal control of DC police
Fox News reported that the Trump administration’s reported plans for a National Guard “reaction force” would require the president to use Title 32, which would allow Trump to bypass normal restrictions regarding the use of the military for domestic purposes and would authorize National Guard troops to use certain law enforcement powers.
The Washington Post reported that it is not yet clear whether the plans for the “Domestic Civil Disturbance Quick Reaction Force” have been reviewed by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
In a statement obtained by The Washington Post, Kingsley Wilson, a Pentagon spokesperson, said, “The Department of Defense is a planning organization and routinely reviews how the department would respond to a variety of contingencies across the globe. We will not discuss these plans through leaked documents, pre-decisional or otherwise.”
The Pentagon’s potential plans for a “reaction force” come after Trump has deployed the National Guard multiple times in response to domestic issues. In response to June’s anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) riots in Los Angeles, the president deployed thousands of National Guard members and U.S. Marines to maintain order in the city and provide protection for ICE officials and government property. According to Fox News, Trump also deployed 800 D.C. National Guard troops on Monday as part of his plan to federalize Washington, D.C., and crack down on surging crime in the nation’s capital.
