The mainstream media has always had it out for Donald Trump. But now it’s asking for treason.
Because they called for troops to disobey Donald Trump’s direct orders.
Trump’s National Guard Deployment in D.C. Sparks Debate Over Military Role
President Donald Trump’s deployment of 800 National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. to address crime and public safety concerns has ignited a debate about the military’s role in domestic affairs.
In a New York Times op-ed published on August 13, 2025, former Obama administration officials Steven Simon and Jonathan Stevenson expressed concerns about the deployment, arguing it reflects a troubling shift in civil-military dynamics.
However, the administration’s actions, grounded in legal authority, aim to restore order in the nation’s capital.
Former Obama Officials Critique Trump’s Strategy
In their op-ed, titled “We Used to Think the Military Would Stand Up to Trump. We Were Wrong,” Simon and Stevenson, both former National Security Council members under President Obama, argue that the military’s compliance with Trump’s orders signals a weakening of its role as an independent constitutional safeguard.
They claim the deployment, which they describe as based on “the pretext of an illusory crime wave,” is a test case for militarizing domestic law enforcement, following similar actions in California to support deportation efforts.
They express concern that Trump’s personnel changes, such as promoting loyalists like former National Guard Lt. Gen. Dan Caine and dismissing top Judge Advocates General, prioritize loyalty over legality, potentially eroding military professionalism.
The authors draw historical parallels, comparing the deployment to the internment of Japanese Americans in 1942, suggesting that military culture favors compliance with civilian orders, even when morally or legally questionable.
They warn that Trump’s policies, including redesignating National Guard duties to allow direct interaction with ICE detainees, could fuse military and homeland security functions, risking clashes with citizens and normalizing executive overreach.
They pin their hopes on judicial intervention, citing California’s legal challenge and expressing skepticism about the Supreme Court’s willingness to curb presidential power, while acknowledging that military officers are unlikely to defy lawful orders.
Trump’s Legal and Strategic Approach to Public Safety
The Trump administration’s deployment, authorized under Section 740 of the 1973 D.C. Home Rule Act, shows the length the president is willing to go to address safety challenges in Washington, D.C., a city with a unique federal status.
Trump’s executive order, issued on August 11, cited crime as a public safety emergency, justifying the temporary federalization of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the deployment of National Guard troops. The administration points to incidents like the August 3 assault on Edward Coristine, a Department of Government Efficiency staffer, during
