(The Center Square) – A group of 19 former national security officials signed a letter to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, thanking him for refusing to deploy Illinois National Guard troops to D.C. for the country’s 250th anniversary at the president’s request.
Retired Maj. Gen. Randy Manner, formerly the acting vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, told The Center Square why the group issued the letter.
“While under normal conditions, it would be completely appropriate for governors to provide soldiers or airmen to the district for national special security events – like the 250th anniversary – the problem is that this president already has several thousand guardsmen,” Manner said.
He and other officials argued in the letter that Pritzker was right in refusing to send troops to D.C. because the president’s request isn’t necessarily truthful, and troops are being used for President Donald Trump’s “safe and beautiful” mission to improve the city.
Manner said the nearly 5,000 troops that have been sent by a variety of states, including Democrat-run states like Michigan and Minnesota, are funded by money set aside by Congress for military preparedness – not domestic deployment.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a letter to the state’s National Guard commander that she would end D.C. support if officials are “unable or unwilling to ensure the Michigan National Guard is only supporting the America 250 mission.”
“This is probably three times the number of soldiers that they would need to back up the local police,” Manner said. “If we had used those [funds] to hire policemen at, quite frankly, one fifth of the cost, we could solve almost every law enforcement issue that we have.”
Manner said the fault shouldn’t be blamed on troops on the ground, noting they are earning a good paycheck in a tough job market, so being deployed can come as a real benefit.
He said blame should instead lay at the feet of the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, who he called “disgraced.”
Manner said Hegseth and the department he oversees are using funds irresponsibly and making the nation’s military worse-off by calling more troops to D.C. and in other matters, such as the conflict with Iran.
“Congress has not allocated money for this, just like they have not allocated money for this war. I mean, $100 billion, that is all being taken out of readiness, which is why the Secretary of Defense is in a panic mode and asking for a $1.5 trillion budget, which is complete absurdity,” Manner said.
