Pentagon Directs All 50 States to Form National Guard Rapid-Response Units to Target 'Civil Unrest'
Pentagon orders all 50 states' National Guards to form 23,500-member rapid response units trained for crowd control by January 2026.
By Aaron Parnas•October 29, 2025•8 min read
National Security
Good evening everyone. Tonight, we are following several major developments, with our primary focus on the National Guard and the Trump administration’s next moves. The Pentagon has ordered all 50 states’ National Guards to form quick reaction forces, while a new investigation exposes that the Trump administration used misleading video footage to justify deploying the military against American citizens. Together, these actions could ignite a dangerous convergence of power and misinformation, creating a perfect storm that threatens the foundation of our democracy.
These stories cannot be ignored. In this moment, truth itself is being tested, and we are breaking through political echo chambers like never before. We are now the fifth most-watched news channel in the world, trusted by Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike. That reach is only possible because of you.
The Pentagon has issued an order requiring all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories to train about 23,500 National Guard members as “quick reaction forces” for nationwide crowd control, following Donald Trump’s executive order to combat civil unrest.
The internal memo outlines training in riot control tactics, including use of batons, shields, Tasers, and pepper spray, with full operational readiness by January 2026. Critics warn the move could normalize a national militarized police force, potentially enabling federal deployment of troops to Democratic-led states or even interference in elections under claims of voter fraud.
A Washington Post investigation found that the Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security used misleading and repurposed footage in at least six official videos to promote its immigration and law enforcement agenda. The clips — often depicting chaos, protests, or ICE raids — were sometimes filmed months earlier or thousands of miles away from the events they were said to represent.
DHS and the White House did not dispute the findings, framing the videos as part of their social media strategy to highlight “successes.” However, experts and former officials warned that the use of misdated and misattributed footage erodes public trust, blurring the line between government communication and propaganda. Some videos even used journalists’ footage without credit or altered images to remove anti-ICE messages. Analysts said the pattern shows a deliberate attempt to manipulate perception through emotionally charged, misleading visuals, undermining the government’s credibility in times of crisis.
This is a real post from Donald Trump’s Truth Social account today:
The Justice Department placed two federal prosecutors, Carlos Valdivia and Samuel White, on administrative leave after they referred to January 6 participants as a “mob of rioters” in a court filing for Taylor Taranto, a Trump-pardoned Capitol attacker later convicted on weapons and hoax charges.
Donald Trump escalated his attacks on former special counsel Jack Smith, calling him a “criminal” who should be “put in prison” and demanding investigations of his perceived political enemies. Smith, who led federal probes into Trump’s handling of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Sen. Alex Padilla and several Democratic colleagues warned the Trump administration not to use a “national emergency” to seize control of elections, after the hiring of “Stop the Steal” lawyer Kurt Olsen to investigate the 2020 vote; they called Olsen’s appointment part of a potential unconstitutional scheme to federalize state election systems and urged the White House to prevent any illegal or unethical interference.
House Democrats launched an investigation into the Trump administration’s alleged use of private DMs on Truth Social and X (Twitter) for official government business, sending preservation letters to both platforms to secure records of communications between Trump officials and foreign representatives that may have violated federal transparency and recordkeeping laws.
Democratic congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly obstructing an immigration enforcement officer during a protest outside an ICE facility in Broadview, Illinois. Charged with conspiracy and interfering with a federal officer, Abughazaleh—who has criticized Trump administration immigration policies—called the case a “political prosecution”
Affordable Care Act premiums are projected to rise by an average of 26% in 2026 — the steepest increase in years — as enhanced federal subsidies keeping coverage affordable for 24 million Americans are set to expire. Without congressional action to renew the aid, out-of-pocket costs could more than double for many households, deepening the impact of the ongoing government shutdown and intensifying partisan standoffs over healthcare funding.
CBS News has begun major layoffs affecting nearly 100 employees as part of parent company Paramount’s $2 billion cost-cutting plan following its merger with Skydance Media, described by staff as a “bloodbath.” The cuts include closing the Johannesburg bureau, canceling multiple streaming shows, and dismantling the race and culture unit, while Paramount plans to eliminate about 1,000 jobs company-wide to streamline operations and refocus on growth.
Louisiana’s Republican legislature voted to delay the 2026 spring elections to allow time for potential redistricting if the U.S. Supreme Court weakens Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which protects minority voting power. The move, pushed through in a special session, positions lawmakers to redraw congressional maps favoring the GOP should the Court’s conservative majority curtail federal oversight — a shift experts warn could reduce Black and minority representation in Congress nationwide for the first time in over a century.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis has called on state universities to stop hiring foreign workers on H-1B visas, accusing institutions of replacing qualified Americans with cheaper labor. Legal experts note that states have no authority over the federal visa program, which employs nearly 400 foreign nationals at Florida’s public universities, mostly in STEM fields, and is vital for filling specialized academic positions.
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a quarter point to a range of 3.75%–4%, its second cut this year, citing economic uncertainty from the prolonged government shutdown and Trump’s tariffs. Chair Jerome Powell said the Fed faces difficult trade-offs amid slowing job growth, rising prices, and limited data access, as officials debate how to balance inflation control with supporting a weakening labor market.
Former Illinois sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson was found guilty of second-degree murder in the 2024 shooting of Sonya Massey, a Black mother who called 911 about a prowler before being fatally shot in her own kitchen. The verdict follows widespread outrage and protests over the killing, captured on bodycam video, with prosecutors arguing Grayson acted out of anger—not fear—while he faces a potential prison sentence of four to 20 years.
Newark Liberty International Airport briefly issued a ground stop on Wednesday due to staffing shortages, which was later updated to a ground delay averaging 40 minutes, according to the FAA. The disruptions come amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, which has strained the aviation system nationwide.
General Motors announced it will cut more than 3,000 jobs across Michigan, Tennessee, and Ohio, citing slower electric vehicle (EV) demand and policy changes under the Trump administration, including the rollback of the $7,500 EV tax credit.
The U.S. military will withdraw the 2nd Infantry Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division from Romania without replacement, reducing its troop presence there from about 1,700 to 1,000 as part of a broader European drawdown aimed at refocusing on the Indo-Pacific and U.S. borders. The move, which follows Trump administration priorities, has drawn criticism from Congress for weakening deterrence against Russia, though officials insist it reflects greater European defense responsibility, not reduced NATO commitment.
Two Russian mobsters, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, were each sentenced to 25 years in U.S. federal prison for plotting to assassinate Iranian-American dissident Masih Alinejad in New York, under orders funded by Iran’s government. Prosecutors said the men coordinated the $500,000 murder-for-hire scheme using a hired gunman, while Alinejad, who continues to live under security protection, urged the court to send a strong message against Iran’s transnational repression.
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) massacred more than 460 patients and staff at a hospital in El Fasher after seizing control of the city, marking one of the deadliest atrocities in the country’s civil war. Satellite imagery and witness accounts show evidence of mass killings, executions, and sexual violence as the RSF — already accused of genocide — consolidates its control over Darfur, while international agencies warn the true death toll could reach into the thousands.
Nvidia became the first company in history to reach a $5 trillion market valuation, fueled by massive global demand for AI chips and partnerships announced by CEO Jensen Huang. The milestone cements Nvidia’s dominance in the AI boom—its value now exceeds that of every country’s GDP except the U.S. and China—though economists warn the surge may echo the dot-com bubble as speculation continues to drive tech markets.
The heirs of a Jewish couple are suing New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art over Vincent van Gogh’s Olive Picking, alleging it was looted by the Nazis after the Stern family was forced to flee Germany in 1936. The lawsuit claims the Met and later owners knowingly handled the painting despite its tainted history, while the museum maintains it followed legal procedures and was unaware of the artwork’s Nazi-era provenance until decades later.
