Maryland National Guard's New Riot Control Force
A National Guard spokesman explained that on-call elements have been in place for about 20 years across all states and territories, designed as a response force available for governors.
Following a directive from a senior military official before the midterm elections, every state's National Guard was instructed to establish a reaction force capable of crowd and riot control. The Maryland National Guard emphasized this as a top priority, requiring hundreds of soldiers to be ready to deploy by April.
Concerns Over Potential Misuse
Former service members and legislators express concern that the reaction force might be used to suppress peaceful protests or intimidate voters during elections. A public safety analyst told The Baltimore Sun that deploying the National Guard to combat crime is unprecedented, expensive, and ill-advised.
Protests and Political Context
Since President Donald Trump took office, "No Kings" protests have appeared in many U.S. cities, including Baltimore. These demonstrations focus on issues like rising healthcare costs linked to Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” which passed Congress earlier this year, and the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history.
Use of National Guard for Protest Control
There have been instances where President Trump attempted to use the National Guard to suppress protests, notably in Portland during ongoing demonstrations outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility that became increasingly confrontational.
“These on-call elements have existed for approximately 20 years in every state and territory as a response force available to governors,” a National Guard spokesman said.
A public safety analyst told The Baltimore Sun the use of the National Guard to address crime is unprecedented, costly and unwise.
Protests have aimed at issues such as increased health care costs included in Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” and the current federal government shutdown.
Summary: Maryland's National Guard is preparing a riot control force amid concerns it could suppress protests, raising debate about civil rights and election integrity.