Rep. Waltz: National Guard must deploy to allow police to keep order, stop looters

The National Guard must be deployed in order to allow police to keep order in their communities, Florida Republican Congressman Michael Waltz asserted Wednesday.

In an interview on "Fox & Friends" with host Brian Kilmeade, Waltz – who is a colonel in the National Guard – said that it was important for state and local leadership to understand that the Guard works for the governors and in support of law enforcement. Adding that they would, "deploy and support much like our mission to support border security." 

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"They will deploy and support law enforcement to free up law enforcement with logistics, transportation and other tasks so that law enforcement can be out there on the front line," he stated.

"That's the way it should work."

According to Waltz, the problem hindering that service lies with governors. Thus far, 28 states and Washington, D.C., have deployed the National Guard to deal with rioters and looters taking advantage of nationwide protests against police brutality and the death of George Floyd. 

People run out of a smoke shop with smoking instruments after breaking in as police arrive on Monday, June 1, 2020, in New York. Protests were held throughout the city over the death of George Floyd, a black man in police custody in Minneapolis who died after being restrained by police officers on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E) (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)

"The problem is many of these mayors and some governors are tying law enforcement's hands and not letting them do the job they need to do to restore law and order in this country," he argued. "And, I think the president's message to the governors and mayors is if you're not going to do the job, if you're not going to step up, he will and he will have to. And, he does have the authority to federalize the National Guard and then also send in active-duty troops."

"Look, Brian, the rest of America has rights too. We all support the right to peaceful protest, but this rioting, looting and violence have got to stop one way or another," Waltz remarked. 

Waltz accused leaders like New York City's Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio of perpetuating the notion that the National Guard is made up of outside "warmongers." 

"The thing with the National Guard is they're from the communities," he explained. "They have day jobs, civilian jobs in those communities. There was a famous incident in the Baltimore riots where a rioter was yelling at a guardsman ‘go home’ and he said, ‘I am home. I live right here.’"

Lastly, there is the concern that the Guard units are not properly trained to do the job of combatting riots. 

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"Number two, many of these Guard units are military police units that actually normally do policing duties on bases. They are absolutely trained for it. We also have civil affairs units. We train as a force for hurricanes, wildfires, natural disasters. It's an integral part of what the Guard trains for," Waltz told Kilmeade. 

"So, this is a huge stress on the force, but they will step up and do the job," he promised.