Throughout American history, federal troops have been deployed in cities to quell civil unrest, with historical examples ranging from the Rodney King riots of the 1990s to the Little Rock desegregation crisis of the 1950s. President Dwight D. Eisenhower famously sent the 101st Airborne Division to protect nine Black students integrating Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas in 1957, marking the first time since Reconstruction that federal forces were used to enforce civil rights.
In more recent times, President Donald Trump faced backlash from Democrats in 2020 when he ordered the deployment of approximately 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles amid anti-immigration enforcement riots. The decision, though rare, drew criticism for its potential implications and raised questions about the appropriateness of military intervention in domestic conflicts. Trump’s move mirrored similar past actions by presidents like George H.W. Bush, who deployed 4,000 soldiers and 1,500 Marines to restore order during the 1992 Rodney King riots, which resulted in over 60 deaths and widespread destruction across Los Angeles.
The use of federal troops is governed by the Insurrection Act, which allows for military intervention during national emergencies, despite the Posse Comitatus Act’s restrictions on the use of federal troops for domestic law enforcement. The legal tension between these acts has played a central role in recent controversies, including the Trump-Newsom dispute over the deployment of National Guard units in Los Angeles. This historical context illuminates the complex interplay between executive authority, civil unrest, and the legal framework governing the use of military force domestically.