The history of presidents activating US troops on American soil
By Claire Barrett
Jun 18, 2025, 03:16 PM
Thirty-three years after the National Guard was first called to enter Los Angeles, its members are once again back in The City of Angels — this time under different circumstances.
Codified in the 1903 Militia Act and the National Defense Act of 1916, the 54 National Guard units of today are a part-time reserve force that serve either the state or federal governments in times of emergency or war.
Since then, the vast majority of the Guard’s domestic deployments have been to keep the peace during civil unrest or provide assistance during natural disasters.
Presidents have rarely federalized the National Guard to intervene in protests on U.S. soil, but since the latter half of the 20th century there has been an upward tick in their utility.
https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/military-history/2025/06/18/the-history-of-presidents-activating-us-troops-on-american-soil/
