Oppose Militarization of American Cities

As a veteran who took the oath of office in 2007, I am deeply concerned about President Trump's recent speech at Quantico and the plans to increase military presence in American cities. This unprecedented move threatens the foundational principles of our democracy and the sacred trust between our armed forces and the citizens they swore to protect. The proposal to create military "quick reaction forces" for domestic use is not only alarming but potentially illegal. The Posse Comitatus Act strictly limits the use of military personnel in domestic law enforcement, a crucial safeguard against the militarization of our society. Recent deployments to Portland, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. have already pushed these boundaries, and further expansion would be a dangerous overreach of executive power. I joined the military to defend our nation against foreign threats, not to be deployed against fellow Americans. The characterization of domestic issues as a "war from within" is divisive rhetoric that goes against the very oath I took to support and defend the Constitution. Our cities are not "training grounds" for military operations, and treating them as such erodes the trust between our communities and those sworn to protect them. The new policies outlined by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, including implementing a "highest male standard" for combatants, are regressive steps that undermine the progress made in creating a diverse and inclusive military that reflects the nation it serves. These changes, coupled with the dismissal of important diversity initiatives as "woke garbage," will harm recruitment, retention, and overall military readiness. I urge you to speak out against these dangerous proposals and to support legislation that reinforces the proper role of our military. We must maintain a clear separation between military and domestic law enforcement functions, uphold the Posse Comitatus Act, and ensure that our armed forces remain an apolitical institution dedicated to defending our nation against external threats, not policing our own citizens.