Note: This article was adapted from the Hey Pittsburgh and Hey Chicago newsletters and updated with references to Philadelphia.
Gov. Josh Shapiro says “we are prepared” if President Donald Trump mobilizes the National Guard in Pennsylvania without local consent, as the president has already done in Washington, D.C. — and threatened to do in Chicago, Memphis, Baltimore, and New Orleans — in order to address violent crime.
Talking to reporters in Philadelphia last week, Shapiro didn't outline what that preparation might look like. He said Trump is just creating chaos.
“I’m the former chief law enforcement officer of this commonwealth, and I understand what communities need to do to make people safe as governor,” Shapiro said, citing declining violent crime statistics, presumably in Philadelphia. “Now is not a time to disrupt that with distrust the way the president is doing in other communities.”
In June, troops entered Los Angeles to quell protests over immigration enforcement. In August, Trump decided to use troops to address crime in Washington. And last week, Trump indicated Chicago would be next, posting on Truth Social that the city was "about to find out why it's called the Department of WAR." (ICYMI, the president recently signed an order renaming the Department of Defense, but that’s not official without Congressional action.) He later said: "We’re not going to war. We’re going to clean up our cities."
He then changed course to Memphis, signing an executive order on Monday authorizing the use of the National Guard there. Trump called the city "deeply troubled" and said "we're going to fix that just like we did in Washington." While Memphis has the highest crime rate in the country, Memphis police say overall crime has dropped 22% compared to 2024.
A federal judge has since ruled the deployment to L.A. was unconstitutional. The Trump administration immediately appealed that decision.
Meanwhile, Shapiro said there’s no indication the White House is targeting Pennsylvania; neither Philly nor Pittsburgh have been mentioned by the president. But given how Trump has “acted outside the bounds of the law,” Shapiro said Pennsylvania would be ready.
Shapiro later wrote on X: “Anyone who tries to undermine Pennsylvanians' fundamental freedoms will have to go through me — whether that's a predatory corporation or the president of the United States.”
Vic Walczak, legal director for the Pennsylvania office of the American Civil Liberties Union, told City Cast Pittsburgh he’s not aware of any “clear indication” an action is likely in Pennsylvania. But a perceived emergency could escalate quickly.
“I have little doubt they will weaponize even the tiniest conflagration to justify sending in troops,” he said.
Christopher Borick, political scientist and director of Muhlenberg College’s Institute of Public Opinion, said Shapiro’s status as a likely 2028 contender for president “shouldn’t be lost in the conversation” either, just as Trump pointed fingers at other Democratic hopefuls like California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
What is the National Guard?
The National Guard is a part-time military force that responds to domestic emergencies like natural disasters and also serves as a reserve component of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. It was established before the American Revolution as the country’s first military institution, and Pennsylvania’s dates to 1747 when Benjamin Franklin created the Associators in Philadelphia. Today, the Pennsylvania National Guard is one of the largest and most deployed state forces in the country.
The closest bases to Philadelphia are the 111th Attack Wing and 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Biddle Air National Guard Base in Horsham. The primary role of the air base is to serve as a control center for remotely piloted aircraft, while the brigade is centered around the eight-wheeled Stryker vehicle.
Each state maintains its own Army National Guard and Air National Guard, all under the command of the governor. However during emergencies, troops can be “federalized,” meaning they report to the president.
The Posse Comitatus Act
The Posse Comitatus Act bars federal military troops from participating in civilian law enforcement without congressional approval. The National Guard usually does not fall under this category — except when federalized.
Earlier this summer, Trump federalized California’s National Guard troops and deployed them to Los Angeles in response to protests against immigration enforcement actions. It was the first time since 1965 that a president did so over a governor’s objections, and a judge ruled it violated the Posse Comitatus Act.
The deployment in Washington is a little different. Since the district has no governor, Trump controls its National Guard. Governors from six other states sent their troops, too.
The National Guard troops coming to other cities would be federalized, possibly coming from other states.
Can the National Guard Arrest People?
Under the Posse Comitatus act, no. But the Department of Defense — er, the Department of War — claims exceptions to the law.
If Trump invokes the Insurrection Act, Posse Comitatus gets suspended, and federal troops can directly perform law enforcement actions.
Otherwise, detainments are a gray area. The senior military official leading the L.A. deployment said troops couldn't arrest people, but could detain civilians until local law enforcement arrived. However, a recent court ruling said troops could not be used for "arrests, apprehensions, searches, seizures, security patrols, traffic control, crowd control, riot control, evidence collection, interrogation, or acting as informants."
Technically, reservists should not be able to hit or hurt the people they’re called upon to secure. Troops are only supposed to use force to protect themselves or others from immediate danger, stop a violent act, or protect critical military operations.
What Else Can the National Guard Do?
In D.C., troops aided in clearing close to 50 homeless encampments over the last month. Now, they’re raking leaves, picking up garbage, and laying mulch. They’re also reportedly “standing around.”
The Department of Defense also says the National Guard could be used to protect federal property. In Philadelphia, that could include the federal courthouse at 6th and Market Streets, the FBI field office at 7th and Arch Streets, Social Security Administration offices, Veterans Affairs’ campuses, and much more.
Right now, it’s unclear what actions they’d take in Pennsylvania.
What Can Philadelphians Do?
- Know your rights at protests, when dealing with police, while traveling, and more.
- Know what to do during an ICE encounter in Philadelphia.
- Attend a town hall held by District Attorney Larry Krasner on Wednesday or Thursday this week where he will give guidance on dealing with possible National Guard troops in the city.
