Trump Administration's Deployment of National Guard Troops Condemned by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi

Strategic Insights -

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party, has issued a scathing condemnation of the Trump Administration's deployment of National Guard troops to American cities. In a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Krishnamoorthi calls the move "a shocking abuse of executive power" that serves the Chinese Communist Party's propaganda and diminishes the U.S. military edge. The deployment not only endangers civil liberties at home but also weakens U.S. readiness abroad, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Trump Administration's deployment of National Guard troops to American cities is a "shocking abuse of executive power" that serves the Chinese Communist Party's propaganda and diminishes the U.S. military edge, according to Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi.
  • The deployment puts the National Guard's readiness to respond to natural disasters and deter adversaries at risk, as Guard units are diverted from routine training and other essential activities.
  • Politicizing the National Guard against imagined "enemies from within" sets the U.S. on an alarming course toward resembling authoritarian adversaries, betraying the democratic values the military exists to protect.
  • The National Guard plays a critical role in the U.S. strategic competition with the CCP, conducting security missions and strengthening partnerships with Indo-Pacific nations, but the Administration's treatment of the Guard as a political pawn puts these programs and partnerships at risk.
  • The CCP believes the ongoing National Guard deployments into American cities are "deepening partisan strife and further exacerbating societal tensions" and offer proof of the failure of democracy.
  • The Administration's reckless deployments of the National Guard only serve the CCP's propaganda and diminish the U.S. military edge.
  • The National Guard's diversion from Indo-Pacific security missions puts critical readiness efforts at risk, undermining deterrence against the CCP and other adversaries.
  • Rep. Krishnamoorthi requests answers to three key questions about the impact of National Guard deployments on readiness, foreign security engagements, and the CCP's perception of the deployments.
  • The Illinois National Guard has sent troops to the Indo-Pacific region and deployed in February 2025 to protect U.S. and allied forces in the Middle East.
  • The Oregon National Guard cooperates with Vietnam on military medicine, defense professionalization, and cybersecurity but is now in the Administration's crosshairs for deployment to crack down on dissent in Portland.
  • The California National Guard has a decades-long partnership with Ukraine's armed forces, helping Kiev build capabilities essential for stopping Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion.

Statistics:

  • The National Guard has been deployed to American cities since August 2025.
  • The Administration has deployed National Guard units from Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, Oregon, California, and Illinois to suppress domestic unrest.
  • The National Guard's readiness to respond to natural disasters and deter adversaries is at risk due to the deployment.
  • The CCP believes the ongoing National Guard deployments into American cities are "deepening partisan strife and further exacerbating societal tensions."
  • The Administration's reckless deployments of the National Guard only serve the CCP's propaganda and diminish the U.S. military edge.
  • The National Guard's diversion from Indo-Pacific security missions puts critical readiness efforts at risk, undermining deterrence against the CCP and other adversaries.

Sources:

  • Letter from Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, October 15, 2025.
  • Democrats' Select Committee on the CCP, National Guard Deployments and CCP Competition (October 15, 2025).
  • Wang Huning, America against America (book title mentioned in the letter).
  • CCP-linked publications, cited in the letter.
  • State Partnership Program, National Guard units conduct hundreds of engagements with Indo-Pacific partners annually.
  • Illinois National Guard, deployed to the Indo-Pacific region and Middle East in February 2025.
  • Oregon National Guard, cooperates with Vietnam on military medicine, defense professionalization, and cybersecurity.
  • California National Guard, has a decades-long partnership with Ukraine's armed forces.