Maj. Gen. Randy Manner, USA (Ret.), explains why the United States cannot resume nuclear weapons testing without the proper investments, facilities, and trained personnel. Watch the full interview here: youtu.be/vnB2lNwuPyk

Today, we honor America’s veterans — the men and women who have served with courage and commitment. NSL4A thanks all who have worn the uniform and continue to serve our nation in new ways.

The oath never expires. NSL4A members — retired generals, admirals, and senior leaders — share what it means to put mission first and defend the Constitution. Watch the full video here: youtu.be/9dL2jLqM4bY

In an interview with the WSJ, Retired Maj. Gen. Randy Manner warns that new National Guard riot control units could divert the Guard from its primary mission and blur the military’s traditional separation from domestic politics. Read full interview here: www.wsj.com/politics/nat...

“Trump and Hegseth had an outstanding opportunity to drive these points home and outline an urgently needed ‘call to arms’… Unfortunately, they chose to stress the importance of grooming standards and physical fitness.” Read the op-ed by the retired Rear Admiral here: www.nsl4a.org/in-the-news/...

Former U.S. Ambassador John Feeley provides perspective on the Trump administration’s unprecedented naval deployment off Venezuela. While the stated goal is countering drug trafficking, Feeley notes that the scale of the operation — the largest in decades in the South Caribbean — is excessive.

In his op-ed, Captain Robert Kelly, USCG (Ret), former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, critiques recent maritime strikes as counterproductive compared to long-standing, proven counterdrug strategies. Read more here: nationalsecurityjournal.org/donald-trump...

As deadly boat strikes raise legal and ethical concerns, Rear Admiral William Baumgartner, USCG (Ret), outlines how the Coast Guard’s HITRON program achieves results through restraint, coordination, and respect for the rule of law.

In an interview with France 24, former U.S. Ambassador John Feeley discussed the importance of maintaining the rule of law in America’s counter-narcotics strategy. Watch his full remarks here: www.nsl4a.org/in-the-news/...

“We all agree crime is bad. The question is whether we fight it with empty theatrics or serious, sustained policing.” Read more of Neal Urwitz’s op-ed on why the National Guard deployments miss the mark — and what actually works — here: www.theblaze.com/columns/opin...

NSL4A condemns the Trump Administration’s authorization of lethal strikes in South American waters — carried out on paltry intelligence, without congressional authorization, and in violation of U.S. and international law.
 Read our full statement here: www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

Major General William Enyart, USA (Ret.), told the Senate Judiciary Committee that misusing the National Guard breaks bonds of trust and risks another Kent State. The Guard is for real emergencies, not a bandaid for long-term problems.

Join us for a Business Briefing on Federal Deployments: Know Your Rights and Options on October 14 at 12:00 PM ET. Register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

As a former U.S. Ambassador to Panama and Marine Corps pilot, John Feeley underscores the complexity and legal challenges of framing counternarcotics operations as counterterrorism. Read the article here: www.nsl4a.org/in-the-news/...

A pivotal meeting at Quantico signals the administration’s push to expand domestic military operations — raising questions about the Insurrection and Posse Comitatus Acts. Read the op-ed by Donald Stanton, former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, here: impakter.com/the-quantico...

Maj. Gen. Randy Manner, USA (Ret.), former acting vice chief of the National Guard Bureau, told NPR that American cities should never be used as military training grounds and emphasized that the military’s duty is to the Constitution, not to any individual. Interview: www.npr.org/2025/10/02/n...

Since America’s founding, the National Guard has stood watch at home and abroad. Guardsmen do not hide their faces or their names. They serve with pride, with honor, and with a deep commitment to the communities they call home. This is your National Guard.

After Pete Hegseth’s address to general and flag officers at Quantico, Maj. Gen. Marilyn Quagliotti (Ret.) joined CNN to share why abandoning the rules of war is so dangerous. Listen to more of the interview here: www.nsl4a.org/in-the-news/...

"Demanding personal loyalty to an administration's political policies goes against the apolitical nature of our military.” - Michael Smith, President & Founder, National Security Leaders for America (NSL4A) Read the full article here: www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...

President Trump suggested using American cities as “training grounds” for the U.S. military. This is profoundly un-American and a direct affront to the Constitution. Read our full statement here: www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

Deploying the National Guard in Portland is legally unjustified, disrupts training and readiness, and normalizes troops patrolling U.S. streets. Read our full statement here: www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

Secretary Hegseth’s restrictions on Pentagon reporters violate the First Amendment, contradict decades of DoD transparency policy, and shut the American people out of their own military. Read why this policy is unconstitutional, un-American, and unacceptable: open.substack.com/pub/nsl4a/p/...

Using the National Guard for day-to-day policing misuses service members, undermines public trust, and risks turning the military into a domestic political tool. Read our full statement here: www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

NSL4A member Rear Adm. William Baumgartner, USCG (Ret.), draws on his experience commanding Coast Guard operations in the Caribbean to question the legality of using lethal force against suspected narcotics vessels without warning or due process. Full remarks here: www.nsl4a.org/in-the-news/...

“From the Pentagon papers to the abuses at Abu Ghraib, the press plays an essential role in rooting out illegal activities, waste, and fraud.”
 — RADM Tom Jurkowsky, USN (Ret.) See more of our statement here: www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

Routine policing isn’t what the National Guard was built for. Diverting troops from disasters, overseas missions, and homeland security weakens our readiness. Read our full statement on why our troops must stay ready for what matters here: www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

Major General Randy Manner, USA (Ret.), a National Security Leaders for America member, explains on PBS NewsHour why deploying the Guard for civil disturbances is a rare and unusual shift in its mission. Watch the full interview here: www.nsl4a.org/in-the-news/...

We believe civilian policing must remain civilian. Militarizing law enforcement risks politicizing our troops, undermining public trust, and threatening democratic norms.

 Read our August 27 statement on the President’s Executive Order here: www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

“The decision to deploy our men and women in uniform should never be motivated by politics. It’s dangerous for our citizens, corrosive for our military, and deadly for our democracy.” Read more of the op-ed by Maj. Gen. Steven J. Lepper & Maj. Gen. Andrew Turley here: www.nsl4a.org/in-the-news/...

Our members know the Guard must never be used as a political tool. Federalizing without necessity undermines readiness, strains families, and diverts critical resources from emergencies like wildfires. Read our full press release here: www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

Today, we honor the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and the courage of those who responded. We remember the lasting impact of that day on our nation’s security and recommit ourselves to protecting the freedoms for which so many have sacrificed.

NSL4A condemns in the strongest possible terms the murder of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Violence against political leaders and our fellow citizens is unacceptable, un-American, and a direct threat to our democracy. Read our full statement here: www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

“We’re no longer making policy — we are reacting to situations.” – Ambassador Cindy Courville, former U.S. Ambassador to the African Union and NSC Senior Director, with host Nicholas Kralev. To listen to the full interview, click here: nicholaskralev.substack.com/p/the-loss-o...

NSL4A opposes President Trump’s order granting the National Guard sweeping domestic policing powers. This misuse of our men and women in uniform erodes public trust, undermines democratic principles, and threatens military readiness. Read our full statement: www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

NSL4A warns against the politicization of U.S. intelligence. The recent firings of senior intelligence officials reflect a dangerous trend that undermines national security and endangers those in uniform. To read our full statement: www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

"It pulls soldiers and airmen from their units, reducing readiness for war or deployment." Major Gen. Randy Manner (Ret.) warns deploying National Guard troops to D.C. for a “crime emergency” politicizes the military and exceeds their training. Listen to interview here: www.npr.org/2025/08/20/n...

On The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton, Ambassador Gray discusses the State Department cuts and the stakes for U.S. international leadership. Listen to podcast episode here: federalnewsnetwork.com/intelligence...

Military families know the cost of freedom. Misusing troops at home puts democracy and service members at risk. Our partner, Military Families for Ethical Leadership, explains why: militaryfamiliesmobilize.substack.com/p/dc-power-g...

“The N.C. National Guard is a lifeline in times of crisis. Diverting it from its core mission in the middle of hurricane season is reckless and unnecessary.” — Commander Dave Petri, USN (Ret) Read his op-ed here: www.nsl4a.org/in-the-news/...

Maj. Gen. Randy Manner, USA (Ret), told Military Times the crime situation in Washington “falls far short of any emergency criteria” to deploy the Guard. “The president is creating a diversion… This is not a real emergency.” Read the article here: www.militarytimes.com/news/your-mi...

Retired Major General William Enyart, former Congressman and Commander of the Illinois National Guard, calls the National Guard deployment to Washington, D.C. a political distraction that misuses defense resources and pulls part-time soldiers from their real mission.

NSL4A urges restraint. Such deployments risk eroding public trust, straining the Guard’s readiness, and crossing critical lines between military and civilian law enforcement. Read our full statement here: www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

“Senior analysts with decades of experience on Russia and Ukraine in State’s Bureau of Intelligence no longer will be there to help the U.S. end the war between these countries.” Read more of the op-ed written by Mark L. Asquino and Patricia H. Kushlis: www.santafenewmexican.com/opinion/my_v...

“Leadership delayed is leadership denied.” NSL4A member Joel Rubin reflects on President Trump’s shift in Ukraine policy, and why strength, consistency, and urgency are key to confronting Russia. Read the op-ed here: nationalsecurityjournal.org/donald-trump...

After seeing exposed wires, mold, and water damage in Guam barracks, Navy Sec. John Phelan ordered troops out, saying he thought the buildings were condemned. “Does it take a visit by the Secretary to identify problems of this magnitude?” Read op-ed here: www.realcleardefense.com/articles/202...

“We prove our strength as an Army through our actions — not parades. That’s something dictators do.” – Brig. Gen. Steve Anderson, USA (Ret.)

“The military is designed and trained to defend against external threats, not police its own citizens.” Read more of the Fox News op-ed by Major General Randy Manner, USA (Ret), who led both National Guard and active-duty Army units: 
🔗 www.foxnews.com/opinion/i-le...

A strong nation needs a strong, trusted military—one that serves every citizen, not a political party. Our new SubStack post dives into recent events that threaten this sacred trust, and why it should concern all Americans. Take a look and share your thoughts: nsl4a.substack.com/p/testing-th...

Maj. Gen. Randy Manner, USA (Ret), on deploying 4,700 troops to LA: “It’s gross negligence in terms of applying potentially 4,700 soldiers and Marines to a civil disturbance situation… [This] is a law enforcement operation. It is not a military operation.”

Retired Lt. Gen. Walter Gaskin, USMC (Ret), calls the deployment of Marines to Los Angeles a dangerous misuse of force—warning that involving combat-trained troops in civilian protests risks deadly escalation. Listen to the interview here: www.npr.org/2025/06/10/n...