‘Of Course He Can Call In The National Guard’: Gregg Jarrett Explains What Grounds President Needs To Protect Citizens

Fox News legal analyst Gregg Jarrett said on Fox Business Monday that presidents have the authority to deploy the National Guard even when state governors object.

President Donald Trump said Friday he will target Chicago next after deploying the National Guard under an emergency crime order in Washington, D.C., earlier this month. New York City, he added, might follow. In an appearance on “Kudlow,” Jarrett said previous presidents have done it before.

“Eisenhower did it as well. That’s right. And look, when you are interfering with the enforcement of federal law, as in those instances you named, the president has the authority to call in the National Guard if he fears that citizens are in imminent threat of bodily injury or harm, that things are out of control,” Jarrett said.

Jarrett said a president has authority to deploy the National Guard even if a governor objects.

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“Of course he can call in the National Guard, notify the governor. If the governor resists, the president can do it anyway,” Jarrett added. (RELATED: How America’s Capital Became Soft-On-Crime Haven)

Trump took control of Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department, pointing to troubling data that ranked the capital as having the nation’s fourth-highest murder rate. The Trump administration aims to dismantle progressive bail and sentencing measures that dominate the city. Local officials have struggled to enforce the law.

Robberies fell 42% and carjackings plunged 85% over the past two weeks in Washington, D.C., according to D.C. Police Union data. The union has openly endorsed Trump’s federal takeover of the city’s policing.

A Harvard CAPS/Harris poll published Monday showed that 54% of voters approve of Trump’s crime initiative in Washington, D.C. The findings coincide with the White House citing sharp declines in violence, including a nearly two-week span without a reported killing.

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