A former aide to Donald Trump recently raised alarms during a CNN interview regarding the potential for the National Guard to be used against American citizens. He emphasized that Trump’s statements should be taken seriously.
During an appearance on FOX News with Maria Bartiromo, Trump responded to President Joe Biden’s concerns about an unpeaceful transfer of power, alluding to Trump’s challenge of the 2020 election results.
Trump stated, “The bigger problem is the enemy from within… We have some very bad people, radical left lunatics, and it should be managed easily, if necessary, by the National Guard, or the military.” His remarks sparked a social media frenzy, with many interpreting them as a possible intention to deploy military forces against citizens.
Oliver Contreras/Associated Press
Mark Esper, Trump’s former Secretary of Defense, discussed these comments with Kaitlan Collins on CNN. He remarked, “We should take those words seriously.” When asked if he was concerned about Trump using the military against U.S. citizens, Esper confirmed he was, citing his experiences from the summer of 2020, when there were discussions about deploying the National Guard in cities like Chicago, Portland, and Seattle during protests.
This comment ties back to Esper’s previous claims in his 2022 book, A Sacred Oath, where he alleged that Trump suggested invoking the National Guard to “shoot protestors” during the George Floyd protests. In response, Trump criticized Esper, labeling his claims as lies and asserting that he had to step in to manage military affairs himself.
While Esper contended that Trump likely lacks the legal authority to deploy the military against citizens, except in cases of severe civil disobedience or insurrection, retired Major General Randy Manner offered a contrasting perspective. Manner, who has backed Kamala Harris, suggested that if Trump were to regain office, he could utilize the National Guard “in almost any way he wants.”