Democrats press Army secretary nominee if ‘readiness’ will be affected by southern border deployments

Democrats have expressed their concerns about the White House decision to send U.S. troops to the southern border, questioning the impact on military readiness. During the confirmation hearing for Army secretary nominee Daniel Driscoll, top Democrat Sen. Jack Reed raised the issue of readiness, to which Driscoll responded by emphasizing the Army’s ability to balance multiple objectives and execute missions as directed by the commander-in-chief.

Driscoll emphasized the importance of border security as a national security issue, pointing out that the Army has a history of standing ready for any mission, including deployments to the border. However, Sen. Elissa Slotkin expressed her worries about active duty military being used for law enforcement roles, which she argued is not permitted under the Constitution.

Slotkin, a former CIA agent, voiced concerns about the lack of proper training for military personnel in law enforcement roles, warning that an incident could occur that would damage public opinion of the armed forces. She questioned Driscoll on whether he would follow orders that contravened the Constitution, citing a previous incident where the 82nd Airborne Army was asked to intervene in a peaceful protest in Washington, D.C.

The deployment of 1,500 active duty troops to the southern border under Trump’s national emergency declaration has raised further questions about the role of the military in border security. While there were already 2,500 service members stationed at the border under the Biden administration, the additional deployment has sparked concerns about the militarization of border enforcement.

Despite assurances from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that the military will provide whatever is needed at the border, Democrats remain skeptical about the use of active duty troops in law enforcement roles. The executive order signed by Trump designating drug cartels in Latin America as foreign terrorist organizations has further raised questions about the extent of the military’s involvement in border security operations.

As the debate over the use of military personnel at the southern border continues, Democrats are calling for a careful balance between national security imperatives and the rule of law. The role of the military in border security remains a contentious issue, with concerns about the potential impact on military readiness and the integrity of the armed forces.