Fox & Friends’ recent flashback segment ripped the mask off a familiar pattern: Democratic politicians and their media allies spent months painting National Guard and federal deployments as some kind of domestic menace, and now their own rhetoric is being held up to the light after tragedy struck. The clip showed how the same voices who warned that troops on the streets meant “militarization” are suddenly silent on the real risks that Guardsmen face when carrying out dangerous missions to protect Americans.
That criticism wasn’t invented by cable hosts — it was official and strident. In 2020 Senate Democrats and a coalition of mayors publicly denounced federal forces in cities as “paramilitary” and even asked Congress to rein them in, while prominent lawmakers pressed for investigations into unmarked agents patrolling American streets.
Conservatives warned then, as we warned now, that leaving federal property and American citizens undefended is not leadership — it’s negligence. While Democrats staged hearings and drafted laws to hobble federal response, law-abiding Americans and local businesses were left to fend for themselves amid chaos, and many of us argued the Guard’s presence was necessary to keep order and protect innocents.
This month’s ambush that left National Guard members shot near the White House is the painful proof that the job these volunteers do is dangerous, and that political posturing has real-world consequences. Multiple outlets reported the targeted attack on November 26 and the heroic, chaotic response that followed, showing that these citizen-soldiers put their lives on the line to keep the rest of us safe.
So spare us the sanctimony from elected officials who spent years stoking fear about troops in cities — some even urged service members to “refuse illegal orders” — while national security and public safety require sober, consistent support for those who defend us. The recent commentary from Democrats warning about deployments and the clips Fox aired are a reminder: politicizing our troops corrodes trust and endangers lives.
Patriots know we should debate policy, not demonize the men and women who answer our country’s call. It’s time for lawmakers to stop grandstanding and start backing the Guard with words, resources, and the respect they deserve so hardworking Americans can walk our streets without fear.
