In the midst of widespread protests sparked by immigration issues in June, Salt Lake City witnessed President Trump’s decision to engage the National Guard in Los Angeles. Despite California Governor Gavin Newsom’s disagreement over the measure, President Trump considered it pivotal to pacify the ongoing protests. Newsom felt the move was an overstep, blaming Trump for unnecessarily exacerbating a tense situation. A question arises from the unfolding events: was the president’s decision sound and justified?
Recent poll results published by the Deseret News and the Hinckley Institute of Politics sought to answer this query by giving a voice to Utah voters. The poll, conducted by HarrisX, found that exactly half of the Utah respondents, 50%, either fully or partially concurred with President Trump’s decision to engage the National Guard in this matter. However, it was not a unanimous sentiment, with 37% expressing their full or partial disapproval of the President’s move, and another 12% remaining undecided.
Examining the results more closely, the data delineates the careful balancing act Utahns employ when it comes to questions of federal powers in their state. Particularly, Utah citizens show recoiling sentiment towards the Federal Government’s power to deploy the National Guard in states to control protests without the consent of the state government.
Rarely has the National Guard been federalized for protests throughout American history, and the occasions it has, are notorious for controversy. Instances that come to mind include the Civil Rights movement and the 2020 protests following George Floyd’s death. Such events have left a legacy that is hard to forget.
Interestingly, even though some voters might back a president’s policies, they often want public safety decisions to reside with state leaders they are more familiar with and trust. This characteristic preference is evident despite political loyalties.
HarrisX executed the poll that involved 802 registered voters of Utah from July 9 through 16. The margin of error for this poll was calculated at around 3.5 percentage points.
Trump’s decision to send troops to a state without a direct request from the governor was a significant matter, making national news. This was because it marked the first such federal intervention in many decades. Utah citizens were then asked about their perspectives on a president’s authority to deploy troops unilaterally or if they should wait for approval from a governor.
Results showed that almost three-fifths, or 58%, of respondents felt it within the president’s purview to make such a decision independently. A sizable minority, 42%, however, were of the opinion that any deployment should only be initiated at a governor’s or mayor’s request.
Numerous incidences in American history have witnessed the National Guard providing support during natural calamities, a role with which Utahns have a degree of familiarity. Less often has the National Guard had to deal with riots or protests, and it is even rarer for the Guard to enforce domestic policies such as immigration law. These unconventional actions have sparked controversy and resulted in divided public opinion.
A recent query in the Deseret News poll asked participants under what circumstances they believe a president should have the authority to involve the National Guard without explicit gubernatorial consent. Approximately 70% of them stated that it would be acceptable during natural disasters. Both Democratic (66%) and Republican (75%) voters found common ground on this.
Roughly around a third of polled voters saw the mobilization justified for aiding in deportations (35%) and in response to protests (33%). A significant majority, about 58% of voters, felt an appropriate response to riots would be federalized deployment of the National Guard.
Focusing more intricately, 75% of Republicans and 46% of independent voters approved the use of troops in such circumstances, regardless of the state’s approval. This contrasted sharply with Democratic voters, of whom merely 26% were in agreement. It reveals that party affiliation influences these opinion, but so does the nature of information consumed.
Many conservatives seem swayed by news that underscored episodes of violence or turbulence, making them view the use of the National Guard as a necessary response. Meanwhile, others who saw reports spotlighting peaceful protests tended to oppose the move more firmly.
The post Utahns Split Over Trump’s Deployment of National Guard Amid Protests appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
