US Military: Praetorian Guard or Non-Partisan Policy Instrument?
by Dr. Charlie Black
03.24.2025 at 06:00am
US Military: Praetorian Guard or Non-Partisan Policy Instrument?
A recent Small Wars Journal article by Frank Sobchak offers a look at the current civil-military relations. Sobchak argues that given President Trump’s tendencies and past behavior, he will inevitably issue illegal orders that threaten to misuse the US military. As such, senior military leaders should prepare in advance for how they will respond to this eventuality. This essay argues that any preemptive actions would be an egregious breach in the special trust and confidence bestowed by the Commander in Chief and incongruent with Congressional power to regulate the military. The US military was never intended to be a praetorian guard and – as S.L.A Marshal wrote – is not “the sole repository of national honor and national morality.”
The pendulum of politics in our republic perpetually swings back and forth, expressing the change in collective will of our people. Despite the shifting political landscape, our elected leaders must consider the totality of competing issues and craft and implement policies to address those issues, while always remaining accountable to the American people.
Within this complex context, the uniformed military profession must remain non-partisan while also remaining subordinate to civilian direction. The reality is that senior military leaders are appointed and confirmed to assume positions that directly influence and, when directed, implement policy related to military matters. However, it is not the senior military leader, but rather the elected officials who directly exercise the powers vested by the American people.
Within this civil-military framework, the US military is not a praetorian guard—it does not get a formal vote in policymaking. Their role is limited to advising on military matters, and when directed, to perform actions which are directed under the authority of the US’s national command authority. Likewise, the military does not self-determine how and when it will be used. Our history, much like that of other states, reveals a meandering path of successful steps and missteps in military advice, policy recommendations, and the implementation of policy.
https://smallwarsjournal.com/2025/03/24/us-military-praetorian-guard-or-non-partisan-policy-instrument/
