With 433,000 members, the National Guard is second only to the US Army in terms of size

Members of the California National Guard stand watch in front of the Edward Roybal Federal Building on the morning of June 17 in Los Angeles, California. Photo / Frederic J. Brown, AFP

Donald Trump has ordered the mobilisation of hundreds of National Guard troops for deployment in Washington, DC, as part of what the United States President bills as a crackdown on crime.

Trump’s move to deploy National Guard troops in the nation’s capital comes after he took a similar step in Los Angeles in June, and the President has indicated that other cities should take note.

Most National Guard forces answer to state governors and have to be “federalised” to be brought under presidential control, but in Washington, DC, these troops already report only to the US president.

Military reserve force

The National Guard is a military reserve force within the US Armed Forces, meaning that most of its members serve part-time while holding civilian jobs or conducting other activities.

As a response force, the National Guard can be mobilised rapidly to address emergency situations on US soil, typically natural disasters.

When needed, National Guard units can also be activated for deployments into combat zones, especially if the US is at war.

Unlike parts of the US military, the National Guard performs both state- and federal-level functions, and is organised into groupings based in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the US territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands.

As a state-based force, generally it is the governor of a state or territory who activates and commands the National Guard when needed.

However, in some situations the National Guard can be “federalised” by the president, bringing it under the president’s control until the specific federal mission has ended - as was the case in Los Angeles.

The latest budget from the Department of Defence authorises 433,000 National Guard personnel in total, split across the Air National Guard and Army National Guard.

This means that compared to other components of the US military, the National Guard is second only to the US Army in terms of size.

Emergency response

National Guard members are typically deployed during emergencies such as natural disasters at the request of governors and based on specific provisions in each state’s laws.

In the aftermath of events like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods, state National Guards are often called on to help evacuate dangerous areas, deliver supplies to places that would otherwise be cut off, or provide specialist equipment needed to clear hazardous debris.

The largest National Guard deployment in recent years was during the Covid-19 pandemic, where troops helped construct and staff emergency care facilities, transport health supplies around the country, and co-ordinate other logistics.

Outside of a natural disaster, deployment of the guard can be ordered in emergencies created by the breakdown of public order.

History with protest

The use of the National Guard to manage public unrest is not unique to Trump.

During the widespread Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, more than half of US states activated National Guard troops to maintain order and help enforce curfews.

Before that, they were also deployed to Los Angeles in 1992 to respond to riots that occurred after police officers who had beaten motorist Rodney King were acquitted at trial.

At that time, riots, looting, and arson attacks had spread across the city, with dozens of people killed and thousands injured.

The National Guard was deployed during the 1950s and 1960s Civil Rights era to help enforce school desegregation, following the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown vs Board of Education ruling.

In one of the force’s darkest moments, in May 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard clashed with anti-war protesters at Kent State University. As unrest swelled, the troops opened fire, killing four unarmed students.

The shootings sparked outrage, but also led to reform of the guard’s use-of-force guidelines.

-Agence France-Presse