Will Maryland National Guard riot control force stifle protests, elections?

Maryland National Guard's New Reaction Force Raises Concerns

A National Guard spokesperson explained,

“These on-call elements have existed for approximately 20 years in every state and territory as a response force available to governors.”
Recently, a senior military official issued a memo before the midterm elections, directing every state and territory to establish a reaction force capable of crowd and riot control.

The Maryland National Guard emphasized that forming this force was a top priority and required hundreds of soldiers to be prepared for mobilization by April.

Concerns Over Potential Misuse

Former military personnel and legislators worry that this newly organized reaction force might be deployed to suppress peaceful protests or intimidate voters in upcoming elections.

A public safety analyst told The Baltimore Sun that using the National Guard for crime control is both unprecedented and costly, and cautioned against this approach as unwise.

Background on Protests

Since President Donald Trump took office, “No Kings” protests have surfaced in major cities nationwide, including Baltimore. Protesters have highlighted issues such as rising healthcare costs under Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” passed this summer, as well as the ongoing federal government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history.

At times, President Trump has attempted to deploy the National Guard to suppress protests, notably in Portland where demonstrations outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility became increasingly tense.

Summary

The establishment of a new National Guard reaction force in Maryland has sparked fears it could be misused to stifle protests and influence elections, raising questions about the appropriateness of involving military forces in crowd control.

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The Baltimore Sun The Baltimore Sun — 2025-11-09

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