WASHINGTON: The National Guard is planning to train hundreds of troops in each state to be part of a rapid-response force focused on civil disturbance missions by the start of next year, two US officials said on Wednesday. President Donald Trump has increasingly embraced using the military to support his domestic agenda, including deploying troops to Democratic-led cities like Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon, and Washington, D.C.
The latest move follows an executive order signed by Trump in August, which called for each state to have National Guard troops who could be quickly deployed for “quelling civil disturbances and ensuring the public safety and order.”
Two US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said each state would be required to have such a force by the start of next year. Most of the states would be required to have 500 troops as a part of the force.
The specific date for the move was first reported by the Guardian, which cited a National Guard memo from October 8.
A Pentagon spokesperson did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Wednesday.
It is unclear how the force would be different from existing quick-reaction forces already available to each state.
According to the National Guard, each state already has a specially trained force that can take part in missions, including civil disturbance control.
The existing National Guard forces must be able to deploy up to 125 troops within eight hours and a follow-on force of up to 375 personnel within 24 hours. During a trip to Japan earlier this week, Trump told US troops he was prepared to send “more than the National Guard” into US cities if needed.
“We have cities that are troubled ... and we’re sending in our National Guard. And if we need more than the National Guard, we’ll send more than the National Guard because we’re going to have safe cities,” Trump said.
‘Quick reaction’ National Guard forces to be trained for civil disturbances by 2026, US officials say
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‘Quick reaction’ National Guard forces to be trained for civil disturbances by 2026, US officials say
- President Donald Trump has increasingly embraced using the military to support his domestic agenda, including deploying troops to Democratic-led cities like Los Angeles; Portland, Oregon, and Washington, DC
Germany takes delivery of Israeli-made underwater drone
- "The army said the Blue Whale was the navy’s “largest and most advanced unmanned underwater vehicle to date“
- The device was tested in the Baltic Sea
BERLIN: The German navy on Wednesday said it had taken delivery of an Israeli-made Blue Whale underwater drone intended for reconnaissance and detecting “hybrid threats at sea.”
The autonomous underwater vehicle, developed by Israeli company IAI together with German submarine- and warship-maker TKMS, was received in the northern port of Eckernfoerde, the navy said in a statement.
The army on its website said the Blue Whale was the navy’s “largest and most advanced unmanned underwater vehicle to date.”
The device was tested in the Baltic Sea, a flashpoint for tensions between Russia and NATO since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the army said.
Military experts and European leaders say Russia has ramped up its “hybrid war” in the strategic region — now bordered entirely by NATO members, with the exception of Russia — through airspace incursions and suspected sabotage of undersea cables.
TKMS said the Blue Whale was capable of “conducting reconnaissance operations, detecting targets above and below the sea surface, collecting acoustic information, and locating sea mines on the seabed.”
Israel and Germany have upped their defense cooperation in recent months and in January signed a security pact to expand joint work on counterterrorism and cyber defense.
In December, Germany approved a $3.1 billion expansion of a contract for the Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile defense system, which is Israeli-made and developed with US support.
