U.S. Presidents have called in the National Guard to suppress riots on numerous occasions throughout history. This is typically done under the authority of the Insurrection Act, which allows the President to deploy military forces, including federalized National Guard units, to suppress civil disorder, insurrection, or enforce federal laws when ordinary civilian authorities are unable to do so.1
Here are some notable instances:
- Whiskey Rebellion (1794): President George Washington called upon state militias (precursors to the National Guard) to suppress an uprising by farmers in western Pennsylvania protesting a federal tax on whiskey.2
- Civil War (1861): President Abraham Lincoln called up a militia force of 75,000 men to suppress the Southern rebellion.3
- New York City Draft Riots (1863): During the Civil War, President Lincoln sent battle-hardened veterans to New York to help quell the deadly draft riots.4
- Labor Strikes (late 19th and early 20th centuries): Several presidents deployed the National Guard to intervene in labor disputes, often on the side of employers.5
- Bonus Army (1932): President Herbert Hoover ordered the Army, including troops led by General Douglas MacArthur, to clear out World War I veterans protesting in Washington D.C.
- Civil Rights Era (1950s-1960s): Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson federalized the National Guard to enforce civil rights, particularly during the desegregation of schools and events like the Selma-Montgomery March.6 These instances often involved bypassing the state governor's authority to protect civil rights.
- Little Rock, Arkansas (1957): President Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and sent U.S. Army troops to escort Black students into Central High School.7
- University of Mississippi (1962): President Kennedy federalized the Mississippi National Guard to enforce the enrollment of James Meredith.8
- University of Alabama (1963): President Kennedy federalized the Alabama National Guard to ensure the desegregation of the university.9
- Selma to Montgomery March (1965): President Johnson federalized the Alabama National Guard to protect civil rights marchers.10
- Detroit Riots (1967): President Lyndon B. Johnson called in the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, after the Michigan National Guard was unable to contain the widespread civil unrest.11
- King Assassination Riots (1968): The National Guard was federalized in various cities following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
- Los Angeles Riots (1992): President George H.W. Bush mobilized the National Guard to quell the riots that erupted after the acquittal of police officers in the Rodney King beating case.12 This was done at the request of the California governor.
- George Floyd Protests (2020):13 While many National Guard deployments during the 2020 protests were at the request of state governors, there was controversy around the Trump administration's deployment of out-of-state National Guard troops to Washington D.C., with questions raised about the legal authority under which they were operating and whether they were specifically authorized for law enforcement activities.14
- Los Angeles Protests over Immigration Raids (2025): Most recently, President Donald Trump federalized 2,000 California National Guard troops to respond to protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles, despite objections from California Governor Gavin Newsom.15 This was reportedly the first time since 1965 that a president has deployed the National Guard to a state without the governor's request, sparking a significant political and legal debate.16
It's important to note that the conditions and legal basis for presidential deployment of the National Guard to suppress civil unrest can be complex, often relying on the Insurrection Act of 1807 and various sections of Title 10 of the U.S. Code.17 While governors typically control their state's National Guard, the President has the authority to federalize them under certain circumstances, placing them under federal command.18
