Justice Matters with Glenn Kirschner Trump's Dangerous Militarization of DC - Glenn's Interview with Mike Fanone
Sep 11, 2025
Mike Fanone, a former Metropolitan Police Officer who defended the Capitol on January 6, 2021, joins to discuss the alarming militarization of D.C. He contrasts Trump's emergency declaration with the legitimate cries for help during the 1990s crime surge. The conversation tackles the implications of the National Guard's presence and critiques the erosion of community trust in law enforcement. Fanone emphasizes the risks of selective prosecution and how current events shape public sentiment and the integrity of the judicial system.
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When DC Faced A Genuine Crime Emergency
- Mike Fanone recalled a real crime emergency in early 2000s DC with daily homicides and hourly shootings.
- The National Guard was deployed for ~two weeks to provide high-visibility presence and handle low-priority tasks like traffic control.
Deploy Guards To Free Up Police For Serious Work
- Use federal resources to supplement understaffed MPD only when deployed appropriately and for real law enforcement needs.
- Reserve National Guard for limited, specific tasks that free police to focus on serious crime.
Current Guard Presence Is Largely Theatrical
- Mike Fanone argues DC today has no comparable crime emergency and current National Guard deployments are theatrical.
- He says much of the Guard presence is symbolic, not targeted law enforcement.