How US President Trump is changing civilians‘ relationship with the US military | DW News

Key Concepts:

• Military Parade: A public display of military personnel and equipment.
• Civil-Military Relations: The relationship between a country's military and its civilian government and society.
• Federalization of National Guard: The process by which the President brings a state's National Guard under federal control.
• Standing Military: A permanent, professional military force maintained during peacetime.
• Instrumentalization of the Military: Using the military for political purposes.

1. Main Topics and Key Points:

• The US Army Parade: The US Army is holding a parade in Washington D.C. to mark its 250th anniversary. The parade is happening on the President's 79th birthday.
• President Trump's Involvement: President Trump has long desired to showcase American military might and insisted on making the parade bigger than initially planned.
• Criticism of the Parade: Critics, including lawmakers from both parties, have raised concerns about the cost, optics, and potential departure from traditional civil-military norms.
• Historical Context of Military Parades: The US has historically held military parades to celebrate victories or mobilize support during wartime, not typically on occasions like the army's birthday or Flag Day.
• Use of Military Force: The President's decision to send in the Marines and National Guard to deal with protests is being questioned, with concerns about pushing boundaries and setting a dangerous precedent.

2. Important Examples, Case Studies, or Real-World Applications Discussed:

• Historical Military Parades: Past US military parades were primarily held to celebrate victories or mobilize the home front during wars.
• Civil Rights Era: The federal government federalized the National Guard and sent in active duty troops during the Civil Rights era to enforce federal law, with the tacit approval of the governors.
• California National Guard: The President's mobilization of the California National Guard is cited as an example of using a little-known statutory authority to circumvent normal procedures.

3. Step-by-Step Processes, Methodologies, or Frameworks Explained:

• Federalization of the National Guard: The process involves the President bringing a state's National Guard under federal control, typically at the request of the governor or when the governor is unwilling or unable to enforce federal law.

4. Key Arguments or Perspectives Presented, with Their Supporting Evidence:

• Supporters' Perspective: The parade is a well-deserved tribute to service members and American military heritage.
• Critics' Perspective: The parade is a waste of money, has questionable optics, and represents a departure from traditional civil-military norms.
• Naval War College Students' Perspective: Many students appreciate being recognized but find the parade a less-than-ideal use of their time and potentially inappropriate due to the President's association of it with his birthday.
• Judge Briar's Opinion: Judge Briar's opinion that the President's federalization of the National Guard was unlawful is cited as an unprecedented legal challenge.

5. Notable Quotes or Significant Statements with Proper Attribution:

• Lindsey Cohen: "Mr. Trump is uh the main audience, he is the one who really insisted on this happening."
• Lindsey Cohen: "The main difference is that in the past the United States which it must be said has always had a somewhat fraught relationship with the idea of a standing military um in the past we've had military parades to celebrate victories or to mobilize uh the homeront during a war um basically to celebrate some spec specific military related event."
• Lindsey Cohen: "We have seen just now in Judge Briar's decision or Judge Briar's opinion um that he considers this to be an unlawful nationalization of uh federalization of the National Guard that is the first time that a judge has ever said that."
• Lindsey Cohen: "The army certainly is taking it as being about them they have um designed this parade to be sort of a history of the US army they're going to be in period costumes um and playing fs and drums to evoke um the the colonial troops and the revolutionary troops and the civil war era."

6. Technical Terms, Concepts, or Specialized Vocabulary with Brief Explanations:

• Civil-Military Relations: The complex interactions and balance of power between the military and civilian authorities in a country.
• Federalization: The act of bringing something under federal control, specifically referring to the National Guard in this context.
• Standing Military: A professional, permanent military force maintained even during peacetime.

7. Logical Connections Between Different Sections and Ideas:

• The discussion of the parade's purpose leads to an examination of its historical context and how it differs from past military parades.
• Concerns about the parade's cost and optics connect to broader questions about the President's relationship with the military and his use of military force.
• The discussion of the California National Guard mobilization is linked to the broader issue of the President pushing boundaries in his use of the military.

8. Any Data, Research Findings, or Statistics Mentioned:

• Polling data indicates that a large proportion of the country believes the parade is a waste of money.

9. Clear Section Headings for Different Topics:

• (Implicitly) Parade Overview
• Presidential Influence and Criticism
• Historical Context
• Military Perspectives
• Use of Military Force and Legal Challenges

10. A Brief Synthesis/Conclusion of the Main Takeaways:

The US Army's 250th-anniversary parade is a complex event with multiple layers of meaning and controversy. While supporters see it as a tribute to the military, critics question its cost, optics, and potential for political instrumentalization. The parade also raises broader questions about the President's relationship with the military and his willingness to push boundaries in its use, as evidenced by the mobilization of the California National Guard and legal challenges to his actions. The event highlights the ongoing tensions and debates surrounding civil-military relations in the United States.