Troops in American Cities

Our military is trained to defeat enemies, not to police American citizens. President Trump’s troop deployments in Los Angeles, DC, Chicago, Portland, Memphis, and potentially other cities pose real threats to civil liberties and the rule of law. During the Constitutional Convention, James Madison warned, “The means of defense against foreign danger have been always the instruments of tyranny at home.” Experts discuss the legality of Trump’s actions, the ongoing lawsuits to stop them, and ways to prevent future abuses of military force.

Speakers:

• Elizabeth Goitein, Senior Director, Brennan Center Liberty and National Security Program

• William L. Enyart, Major General (ret.), U.S. Army; former U.S. representative (D-IL); former committee member, House Armed Services Committee

• Host: Michael Waldman, President, Brennan Center

Recorded on November 10, 2025.

Keep up with the Brennan Center’s work by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, The Briefing, at https://go.brennancenter.org/briefing.

The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.