Military Chief Challenges Trump's Enemy Within Talk

Key Points

• General Gregory Guillot, top commander of US Northern Command, dismissed President Trump's claims about an "enemy within."
• No evidence was found to support Trump's assertions, which were used to justify National Guard deployments in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago.

Debate Over Troop Deployments

• Republicans argued that troops were needed to combat crime and border threats.
• Democrats saw the move as politically driven and a potential violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military involvement in domestic law enforcement.

Senators' Concerns

• Senator Tammy Duckworth criticized the president for putting military personnel in a difficult position, forcing them to choose between the Constitution and the president's orders.
• Senator Elissa Slotkin expressed concern about National Guard troops near polling places, suggesting it could intimidate voters.

Pentagon's Stance

• The Pentagon's top lawyer acknowledged that federal law generally prohibits troops from being stationed at polling places.
• However, the president has the authority to declare an emergency that would allow such deployments.

Recent Developments

• The hearing took place just after a federal judge ordered the administration to stop National Guard deployments in Los Angeles without the governor's approval.
• The judge's ruling added another layer of complexity to the ongoing debate about the use of military forces in domestic affairs.