What is Trump's National Guard and what powers does it have?

By ITV News Producer Hannah Ward-Glenton

Two members of the US National Guard were critically injured after a shooting near the White House on Wednesday, which has reignited the debate around the role of the National Guard across the United States.

The National Guard has been increasingly deployed since US President Donald Trump started his second term in office.

But what is the National Guard, and what powers do they have? ITV News explains.

What is the National Guard?

The National Guard is a reserve force within the US armed forces, comprised of more than 430,000 civilian soldiers across 54 organisations.

Their role is to respond to domestic crises and overseas conflicts.

In recent years, the National Guard has been called upon to help manage domestic events such as the LA wildfires, the Covid pandemic, the George Floyd protests, and border security issues.

Many members of the National Guard serve part-time alongside their day jobs or studies.

Who controls the National Guard?

The National Guard answers to both state governors and the president.

Most of the time, National Guard members are called into action by their state governors.

Still, presidents can also call in units to serve national causes, such as extreme weather or international military operations, such as in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Presidents rarely utilise the National Guard without the consent of the state’s governor, but it has happened during Donald Trump’s presidency.

Trump deployed around 4,000 troops during the Los Angeles immigration protests in June 2025 without the approval of California Governor Gavin Newsom.

A US president hasn’t bypassed a state governor on National Guard movements since 1965, when President Lyndon B Johnson sent troops to Alabama to protect civil rights activists.

What powers does the National Guard have?

National Guard troops can only use the powers given to them by whoever authorised their deployment, and they must adhere to US laws.

When has Donald Trump used the National Guard?

Los Angeles, June 2025

Trump deployed around 4,000 National Guard troops when immigration protests broke out across the city.
California authorities quickly challenged the decision, saying that it violated the tenth amendment of the Constitution.
It was later ruled that the deployment was unlawful as it violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which is designed to limit the role of the military in civilian law enforcement.

Washington DC, August 2025

The US president deployed 800 National Guard troops to tackle crime and homelessness in Washington. Trump said it was “to help re-establish law, order, and public safety in Washington, DC, and they’re going to be allowed to do their job properly”.
More troops from at least six states have since been deployed in the capital, bringing the total number of troops to 2,300.
An additional 500 troops were deployed on Wednesday after two West Virginia National Guard members were critically injured after a shooting near the White House.
The DC attorney general filed a lawsuit to try and end the federal government’s deployment, describing it as a “military occupation” that goes against the city’s autonomy.

Portland, September 2025

Trump deployed 200 members of Oregon’s National Guard in Portland to protect US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, which he said were “under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists”.
The state filed a lawsuit to block the deployment, with Oregon Democratic Governor Tina Kotek saying the city was doing “just fine” on its own.

Memphis, September 2025

No more than 150 National Guard troops were to be sent to Memphis to “bulldoze the criminal elements in this city, and therefore liberate the law-abiding citizens”, according to White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.
A Tennessee judge temporarily blocked the deployment, saying no emergency that justified military intervention by the government.

Is crime getting worse in the US?

There were fewer instances of most types of crime in the first half of 2025 compared to the first half of 2024.

Domestic violence was the only offence that increased, while drug offences remained even, according to data published by the Council on Criminal Justice.

The number of violent crimes in the US also decreased in 2024 compared to 2023 estimates, according to the FBI.

The data, released in August 2025, showed a 4.5% dip in national violent crime.