President Donald Trump honors the Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles at The White House in Washington D.C., on April 28, 2025.
Washington D.C. – President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping new executive order to expand the transfer of military and national security equipment to local law enforcement agencies, a move critics warn is a major step toward martial law in the United States. The order, titled “Strengthening and Unleashing America’s Law Enforcement to Pursue Criminals and Protect Innocent Citizens,” was signed Monday and has already triggered alarm among civil liberties advocates, lawmakers, and international observers.
The directive instructs Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth—along with input from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other top officials—to increase the provision of military-grade assets to local police forces within 90 days. This includes not only equipment but also personnel, training, and surveillance capabilities.
While the White House has not detailed the specific gear that will be distributed, prior federal programs have outfitted local departments with armored vehicles, high-powered rifles, tactical gear, drones, and night vision technology. Critics argue that arming local police with such equipment undermines the democratic principle of civilian law enforcement and could stoke unnecessary confrontations between officers and civilians.
“The militarization of our police forces is not a hypothetical danger—it’s happening,” said Joel Montfort, a political scientist, in a widely shared post on X (formerly Twitter). “Martial law is starting. Trump is laying the groundwork for aggressive domestic policing backed by military might, and local law enforcement is being turned into a de facto standing army.”
The timing of the executive order has only heightened public concern. Earlier this month, Trump issued a separate memorandum authorizing the U.S. military to take a more direct role in border enforcement, allowing soldiers to search and detain individuals in designated areas of New Mexico. That move, combined with Trump’s calls to review and potentially invoke the Insurrection Act—legislation that gives the president broad authority to deploy the military domestically—has intensified speculation that the administration is inching toward authoritarian measures.
German columnist Chris Stoecker, writing for Der Spiegel, echoed the concern on social media: “This is highly worrying. Trump has issued an executive order that basically is supposed to make it possible to use military forces as ‘law enforcement’ and paves the way for militias ‘aiding’ the police with legal impunity. They are preparing to violently quash expected riots.”
Civil liberties organizations have already begun calling for transparency and legislative oversight, citing research that links police militarization with increased violence and eroded public trust.
The Departments of Justice and Defense are expected to present a detailed plan by July 27 outlining how the expanded transfers will be implemented, including eligibility criteria for local agencies and any oversight or accountability mechanisms.
While the administration maintains that the order is aimed at reducing crime and protecting civilians, opponents argue that it risks blurring the line between national defense and civilian policing at a moment of growing political tension.
“The fear isn’t abstract anymore,” Montfort added. “It’s policy.”
