Barack Obama Slams Trump’s Use of National Guard as “Inherently Corrupting”

Former President Barack Obama slammed President Donald Trump’s use of National Guard troops in U.S. cities to fight crime, saying it weakens democracy and threatens military-civilian balance. Obama told the “WTF Podcast” that the Trump administration had systematically weakened the “institutional guardrails” that have underpinned American democracy.

Obama said such guardrails are not completely demolished, but the present leadership has deliberately damaged them. He worried that using the military against civilians—even for public safety—threatens totalitarianism. Obama stressed that civilian control over armed forces is essential to democracy, saying, “When you have militaries that can direct force against their own people, that is inherently corrupting.”

The former president accused Trump of bypassing legal checks by sending federal troops to Democratic-led communities, often against state authorities’ wishes. He suggested this may evade the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts military engagement in domestic law enforcement. Obama has called portraying regular street violence as insurrection or terror a harmful attempt to erode popular understanding of democracy.

Obama also asked how Fox News and state officials would react if he had dispatched soldiers without state authorization during his term. He suggested a strong response. He advised federal agencies and courts to avoid politicizing law enforcement and to avoid military force, masked patrols, and accelerated trials, which are prevalent in weak rule of law regimes.

Trump has ordered National Guard deployments in Los Angeles, D.C., Portland, and Chicago. Governors and mayors have often rejected initiatives, leading to legal challenges. Obama emphasized local policing, judicial independence, and the idea that security should be provided by cops who know their neighborhoods, not militaristic forces answering to political whims.

Sources
Yahoo / MSN 
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