A top U.S. military official has ordered the Guards of all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories to form “quick reaction forces” trained in “riot control,” including the use of batons, body shields, tasers and pepper spray, according to an internal Pentagon directive reviewed by The Guardian.

The National Guard is planning to train hundreds of troops in each state to be part of a rapid-response force focused on civil disturbance missions by the start of next year, two U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

President Trump has deployed or threatened to deploy the National Guard to U.S. cities. Learn the history and legal authorities of these troops.

Trump since June has deployed National Guard troops to various Democratic-led jurisdictions in an extraordinary expansion of the use of the military for domestic purposes. Trump h

President Donald Trump claims broad authority to deploy military forces in U.S. cities, stating courts wouldn't intervene during Air Force One press availability en route to summit.