Weekly Spotlight: Disturbingly Untrue
Over the weekend, President Trump began touting plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago.
Join our fight for a more effective and accountable government. Sign up for our Weekly Spotlight newsletter and occasional updates on POGO’s work.
ABUSING POWER AND RIGHTS
Trump eyes Chicago for next deployment
Over the weekend, President Trump began touting plans to deploy the National Guard to Chicago, claiming, verbatim, that he has, “the right to do anything I want to do.” This is disturbingly untrue — but it is clear he believes it. President Trump is testing whether he can use his “crime emergency” rhetoric to deploy the military into other cities. This is unconstitutional, illegal, extremely dangerous, and exactly the authoritarian escalation we’ve dreaded. Washington, DC, has unique laws that allow the executive branch to exercise unusual authority in rare circumstances. The administration exploited those emergency loopholes in Washington, but it would be illegal to replicate that approach in other cities. We are urging Congress to deny the executive branch funds to send federal forces into other cities. Congress must acknowledge that this is an attempt to sow fear and turn Washington, and now other cities, into police states.
- M17 handguns and M4 semiautomatic rifles. The weapons the National Guard are now carrying in Washington.
- The White House issued an executive order directing the National Guard to start enforcing federal laws in Washington and instructing the creation of special Guard units in all states that would be available for rapid “civil disturbance” response. This is a clear intent to use the military for domestic law enforcement, which is illegal in our country.
- We’ve given the executive branch too much power, and now we’re seeing the consequences. “It’s very hard to unring that bell,” POGO’s David Janovsky explained in a conversation with CNN.
- In another executive order, the president moved to end cashless bail — threatening to withhold possibly all federal funding from jurisdictions that don’t follow his policy orders. This is a radical attempt to force executive will on the country. The president is trying to use federal funding as a cudgel, and Congress must intervene. The administration cannot stop the funds Congress has already approved from reaching your community.
RETALIATION AND REPRISAL
The White House is not taking any comments, please
(Illustration: Ren Velez / POGO)
After more than 180 current and former civil servants at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) signed an open letter warning Congress that the Trump administration’s sweeping changes at the agency were undermining the agency’s ability to do its job and potentially opening the door for deadly disaster-response failures, the Trump administration retaliated. Suspensions were issued to the signers, with an estimated 30 FEMA workers being put on leave.
- The administration is silencing dissent. These federal workers are being punished for disagreeing with the administration and for warning you and Congress about what lies ahead. What other vital information could you be kept from learning?
- We have already seen the devastating consequences of the discord at FEMA in the agency’s stunted ability to respond to people in crisis during the July 2025 Texas floods.
- This is the second time the White House has employed this approach to civil servants’ dissent. Last month, 139 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees were put on leave for speaking out on the administration’s climate policies.
CHECKS AND IM(BALANCES)
Summer’s over
It’s back to school session season. Congress returns from summer recess after Labor Day weekend, and the to-do list is packed. Here are POGO’s priorities for Congress in the coming weeks — and stay tuned for ways you can add to the pressure.
- Domestic deployment: Immediate action to reverse the federalization of Washington and curb any attempts to deploy the National Guard to other states and cities.
- Stock trading: The passage of a strong and enforceable stock trading ban so members of Congress can assure the people that their priority is their constituents, not financial gain.
- Protect federal workers: Block the nomination of Paul Ingrassia to the Office of Special Counsel to protect the integrity of the crucial watchdog agency.
- Pentagon budget bill: Finalize the National Defense Authorization Act and ensure right-to-repair provisions make the final cut — and that the dangerous amendments seeking to expand the military’s role in domestic law and immigration enforcement don’t.
ANALYSIS
Pentagon Cuts to DOT&E Could Endanger Troops
(Illustration: Ren Velez / POGO)
Recent cuts to DOT&E reduced the agency’s Oversight List by 99 programs, including operational testing for the Army’s new rifle, writes POGO’s Greg Williams. Read more on pogo.org
