WASHINGTON – A former CIA analyst and ex-acting assistant Pentagon secretary is raising concerns about a significant shift in U.S. military strategy under the Trump Administration, warning of an unprecedented “reorientation” toward domestic law enforcement and potential use of force against American citizens.
Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan) voiced her alarm during a recent appearance on MSNBCS “Morning Joe,” following a wall Street Journal report detailing the Pentagon’s order to establish ”fast reaction” forces in every state and territory by January.These National Guard units will be specifically trained and equipped to respond to riots and civil unrest within the U.S., according to internal Defense Department memos cited by the Journal.
“One of the things that I think most Americans don’t like to see is troops in our streets,” Slotkin stated. “And he has flirted with putting not just National Guard on our streets,but putting active-duty military on the streets – giving them law enforcement responsibilities to arrest,to detain…”
The Wall Street Journal‘s reporting,by Vera Bergengruen,Lara Seligman and Dan Lyon,underscored that the creation of these riot control units represents a “major shift for the Pentagon,” reflecting the Trump Administration’s drive to involve the military in domestic missions traditionally reserved for emergencies.
Slotkin, who served three tours in Iraq and held positions within the CIA and Pentagon, expressed her concern that such a deployment of military personnel for domestic law enforcement is a phenomenon she’s “onyl seen…in other countries.” She added, “It is indeed significant what we are seeing…[Trump] has just a really fundamentally different view of how he should use people in uniform and federal law enforcement. And he’s building units and reorienting away from things like China.”
In response, Slotkin is sponsoring the “No Troops in our Streets Act of 2025,” legislation aimed at opposing the policies she believes are fundamentally altering the role of the U.S. military.
Conservative host Joe Scarborough, reacting to the Journal report on “Morning Joe,” questioned the situation, stating, “What the hell is going on? And I guess I could ask: Where is the Supreme Court right now?”
