Krishnamoorthi Pushes Bill Blocking Trump-Style Military Deployments

India-West Staff Reporter

WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) has introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act aimed at limiting presidential authority to deploy U.S. military forces or federalize the National Guard without state approval.

The measure, filed with Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D-MI), is a reintroduction of their Stop Trump’s Abuse of Power Act. It comes after President Donald Trump has threatened to send the National Guard into Chicago, despite no request from Illinois officials, and after he deployed active-duty forces to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

Krishnamoorthi said such unilateral actions represent an overreach of executive power and risk undermining constitutional protections. “No president should be able to turn the U.S. military into their personal police force,” he said. He argued Trump’s threats to militarize Chicago would create “chaos and spectacle” rather than address public safety.

The amendment would require a governor or state executive to request federal military support before any deployment of active-duty personnel or federalization of the National Guard. It would also bar the use of troops in response to peaceful protests or demonstrations without state approval.

The amendment now goes to the House Rules Committee, which will decide whether it can proceed to a floor vote as part of the NDAA.