The operative word in Idaho National Guard is Idaho. In a time of geopolitical uncertainty and unpredictable decision-making at the federal level, Idaho has a responsibility to ensure its Guard remains under Idaho’s leadership — guided by the priorities of its people rather than the ever-shifting impulses of Washington D.C.
Do you know the last time the United States was at war? The most obvious answer is, “we are at war now.” The Global War on Terror. Since 2001, troops have been deployed to hot zones, there have been active military campaigns and operations involving trillions of U.S. dollars, and there have been thousands of combat and combat-related injuries and deaths from armed conflict in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Cuba, and the Philippines.
Most would agree the above sounds like the very definition of war; however, the correct answer is World War II. More specifically, the last time Congress declared war was in 1942. What about the Korean War? The Vietnam War? The Invasion of Panama? The Gulf War? Well, these are all classified as either “Conflicts” or “Military Operations/Actions.” And, none of them involved a declaration of war by Congress.
For decades, the federal government has used loopholes — rather than relying on Constitutional authority granted in Article 1, Section 8, Clause 11, for Congress alone to declare war — to deploy troops all around the globe by using broad authorizations and executive orders. This circumvents the Founding Fathers’ original intent that the branch of government closest to the people be responsible for deciding if the United States would engage in war. Their hope was to prevent tyranny and the weaponization of the military for political purposes by an executive leader.
Rising geopolitical tensions are accelerating international instability and increasing the likelihood that the United States, as the global hegemon, may be drawn into armed strategic conflicts in the upcoming years. Recent conflict between Russia and Ukraine, regime changes in Iran, the growing power vacuum across MENA, and the ever-expanding power and influence of the Chinese Communist Party create a hostile international climate where armed conflict seems to be looming.
It is for this very reason why Idaho needs to pass into law the Defend the Guard Act in 2026. This Act safeguards Idaho’s sovereignty by compelling the federal government to adhere to existing federal law, preventing the federal government from deploying Idaho Guardsmen for combat without congressional approval.
Under the Tenth Amendment, states retain reserved powers, including oversight of their militias. By requiring Idaho Guard deployments to follow a formal declaration of war by Congress, Defend the Guard legislation reinforces the idea that states are not merely an administrative extension of the federal government, but are independent actors with constitutional authority over their residents and military forces.
The Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF) supported Senate Bill 1252 in 2024 which would have declared it the “policy of Idaho” to not deploy Idaho Guardsmen for armed military action without congressional approval. The IFF’s work on Defend the Guard legislation reflects our understanding that state governments should reclaim powers the federal government has expanded over time. For Idaho, that means ensuring the Idaho National Guard serves primarily the people of our state unless there is clear constitutional authorization for combat abroad. In 2026, we aim to uphold the Founders’ vision of limited federal power and robust state sovereignty.
