Troops Archives - The Minnesota Sun

Bombshell Transcripts: Trump Urged Use of Troops to Protect Capitol on January 6 , but Was Rebuffed

September 24, 2024 Just the News

Then-President Donald Trump gave clear instructions to Pentagon brass days before the Jan. 6 riots to “do whatever it takes” to keep the U.S. Capitol safe, including deploying National Guard or active-duty troops, but top officials did not comply because of political concerns, according to transcripts of bombshell interviews conducted by the Defense Department’s chief watchdog that shine new light on government disfunction ahead of the historic tragedy.

Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff, confirmed to the Pentagon inspector general three years ago that during a Jan. 3, 2021, Oval Office meeting Trump pre-approved the use of National Guard or active duty troops to keep peace in the nation’s capital on the day Congress was to certify the results of the 2020 election.

Bipartisan Opposition: Governors from 48 States, 5 Territories Reject Biden’s Plan to Take Over National Guard

April 30, 2024 Kaitlin Housler

The governors of 48 U.S. states and five territories have sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin expressing a “strong opposition” to the Department of Defense’s (DOD) proposed legislation to the Senate Armed Services Committee that would permanently federalize portions of the state Air National Guard troops into the U.S. Space Force.

Congress Won’t Reinstate Troops Discharged for Violating the COVID Vaccine Mandate

December 8, 2022December 7, 2022 Minnesota Sun Staff

Thousands of troops already discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine won’t return to service after Congress’ last-minute defense bill sought to overturn the Pentagon’s mandate.

The Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps have separated at least 8,400 active duty and reserve troops for spurning the Department of Defense’s (DOD) August 2021 requirement that all servicemembers receive the COVID-19 vaccine, according to information the DOD provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation. While the compromise legislation released late Tuesday directs the Pentagon to rescind the mandate, it stops short of requiring the military to restore discharged troops to their prior positions or provide reparations.

Biden Announces ‘Devastating’ Sanctions and Deployment of 7,000 Additional Troops to Europe

February 26, 2022February 25, 2022 Minnesota Sun Staff

Joe Biden announced on Thursday that an additional 7,000 U.S. troops will be deployed to Germany, bringing the total of U.S. troops sent to Europe this month to 12,000. On February 2, 1,700 troops were ordered to Poland, and 300 to Germany. Another 3,000 troops were added to Poland on Feb. 11, as the crisis loomed.

The U.S. forces are being deployed to bolster NATO’s defenses as Russia continues its military incursion into Ukraine.

Speaking from the East Room of the White House, Biden stressed that U.S. soldiers will not be going to Ukraine and will not be fighting Russian troops.

Biden May Leave Up to 1,000 Troops in Afghanistan After Withdrawal

July 4, 2021July 3, 2021 Minnesota Sun Staff

After Joe Biden further delayed efforts to withdraw all American military forces from the nation of Afghanistan earlier this year, new reports suggest that the withdrawal will be delayed indefinitely and could leave up to 1,000 troops in the country, according to CNN.

The report comes from an anonymous administration official, who claimed that the residual forces would stay behind to ostensibly secure the U.S. embassy and the airport in the capital city of Kabul. However, another anonymous official with the Department of Defense claimed that the residual forces left behind would not exceed 650.

Biden Says He Won’t Completely Withdraw Troops from Afghanistan and the Middle East

September 12, 2020September 11, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Thursday that if he wins the election in November, he will not fully withdraw American troops from Afghanistan and the Middle East.

Biden told Stars and Stripes Thursday he supported a continued presence of up to 2,000 ground troops throughout the region for executing operations against ISIS and other terror threats.

Male-Only Draft Is Constitutional, Federal Appeals Court Rules

August 16, 2020August 15, 2020 Minnesota Sun Staff

A Louisiana federal appeals court ruled Thursday that the all-male military draft is constitutional, according to the Associated Press.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans overturned a Texas court’s 2019 decision, saying in the newest decision that “only the Supreme Court may revise its precedent,” the AP reported.

More Active-Duty Troops Leaving D.C., Others Remain on Alert

June 6, 2020June 6, 2020 The Associated Press

Nearly 500 of the active-duty troops brought in to help if needed with the civil unrest in the nation’s capitol have been given orders to leave Washington after a fourth day of largely peaceful protests, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and other officials said Friday.

But a number of other active-duty soldiers remain on alert in the region, prepared to respond if needed.

President Trump Is Deploying an Additional 2,100 Troops to the Border

July 19, 2019July 18, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Jason Hopkins The Trump administration is beefing up its resources at the U.S.-Mexico border as it continues to deal with a massive influx of illegal immigrants. Acting Defense Secretary Richard Spencer approved Tuesday night the deployment of 1,200 active-duty troops and another 1,000 Texas National Guard personnel to…

Trump Eyes More US Troops for Poland, Easing Poles’ Visa Travel to US

June 14, 2019June 13, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Fred Lucas President Donald Trump announced plans Wednesday to possibly station 2,000 more U.S. military troops in Poland and to add the country “fairly soon” to the Visa Waiver Program. “It’s a complex situation, as you know,” Trump said of finalizing a decision on the Visa Waiver Program.…

Pentagon Mulls Sending More Troops to Gulf, Officials Say

May 24, 2019May 23, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

Top Pentagon officials will provide the president with a wide range of options in response to rising tensions in the Middle East, including possibly sending thousands more U.S. troops to the Middle East, U.S. officials said. The top U.S. military officer, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen.…

Pentagon Set to Send Hundreds of Troops to the Southern Border

April 28, 2019April 27, 2019 Minnesota Sun Staff

by Jason Hopkins The Pentagon announced that it expects to send around 300 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, breaking with the longstanding policy of avoiding troop-migrant contact. A spokesperson for Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, Charles Summers, said Friday that his boss is expected to green light the proposal…