Trump administration could deploy 1,000 troops to Louisiana cities until 2026, report says

Source: The Independent

Saturday 13 September 2025 16:59 EDT


The Trump administration has reportedly drafted plans to activate roughly 1,000 Louisiana National Guard troops and send them to the state’s “urban centers” like New Orleans, the latest potential expansion of the unprecedented White House effort to use military troops in law enforcement in Democratic-led cities around the country.

In an undated memo obtained by The Washington Post, the Department of Defense described a potential plan, lasting through September 2026, to activate such troops if the Republican governor of Louisiana requests them.

The documents described the plan as having a “unique advantage” of working with the state’s Republican Governor Jeff Landry, whose support could allow the federal government to invoke Title 32 of the U.S. Code, allowing the National Guard to operate under state control with federal funds, avoiding running afoul of a bedrock federal law stopping the military from being involved in domestic law enforcement.

“Leaked documents should not be interpreted as policy,” the Pentagon said in a statement to the paper, affirming the documents’ authenticity. “We will not discuss these plans through leaked documents, pre-decisional or otherwise.” The Independent has requested comment from Landry’s office.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-national-guard-louisiana-new-orleans-b2826036.html