Trump Administration Orders National Guard to Develop Quick Reaction Forces for Civil Disturbances

Strategic Insights -

The Trump administration has instructed the National Guard in every state to develop a "quick reaction force" of troops trained to handle civil disturbances and riots, with the goal of having these forces operational by January 1, 2026. This development comes as part of the administration's broader efforts to deploy the military in addressing crime and immigration issues. The memos, signed by Major Gen. Ronald Burkett, outline the training requirements for these specialized forces, including courses on crowd management, domestic civil disturbance training, and the use of non-lethal weapons.

Key Takeaways:

  • The National Guard has been instructed to develop a "quick reaction force" of troops trained to handle civil disturbances and riots in every state.
  • The training requirements for these forces include courses on crowd management, domestic civil disturbance training, and the use of non-lethal weapons.
  • The memos direct each state to have its quick reaction forces operational by January 1, 2026, and require units to update military leaders monthly on their progress.
  • Over 23,000 troops are to be trained in these specialized courses, with the District of Columbia to maintain a "specialized" military police battalion with 50 National Guard soldiers on active duty orders.
  • The Trump administration's efforts to deploy troops in other places have faced swift legal challenges, including a U.S. Supreme Court order blocking troop deployment in the Chicago area until at least November.
  • The memos cite an executive order signed by President Trump in August that directed the Pentagon to create quick reaction forces for rapid nationwide deployment.

Statistics:

  • Over 23,000 troops will be trained in the specialized courses.
  • The new quick reaction forces will be able to deploy a fourth of all their troops within eight hours and all of those assigned to the units within a day.
  • Each National Guard unit is required to retain 100 sets of crowd control equipment and two full-time trainers provided by the National Guard Bureau.
  • The units will be allowed to use an additional five days of training for soldiers to get through the "Interservice Nonlethal Individual Weapons Instructor Course".

Sources:

  • "Trump greets trick-or-treaters at White House Halloween event: Live updates" (Associated Press)
  • "Lawyers for Comey seek grand jury transcript, bringing fresh challenge to a case pushed by Trump" (Associated Press)
  • "Hegseth orders the military to detail dozens of attorneys to the Justice Department, AP learns" (Associated Press)
  • "Years after Argentina shut a notorious zoo, the stranded animals are finally being rescued" (Associated Press)
  • "Gayle King expected to depart 'CBS Mornings' in latest restructure: report" (Associated Press)
  • "Andrew stripped of 'prince' title and evicted from Royal Lodge" (Associated Press)
  • The Associated Press (multiple articles)