The White House has turned down Republican Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) call to deploy the National Guard on college campuses that are witnessing large-scale protests over the Israel-Hamas conflict.
What Happened: House Speaker Johnson, on Thursday, urged President Joe Biden to mobilize the National Guard to suppress the widespread protests on college campuses related to the Israel-Hamas war, as reported by The Hill. Johnson had visited Columbia University on Wednesday, where the first major pro-Palestine protest took place and has since proliferated to several colleges across the country.
In response, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre clarified on Thursday that the power to deploy the National Guard lies with state governors, not the president. Jean-Pierre also reminded that President Biden has previously condemned the protests as antisemitic.
“That is something for the governors to decide," she told reporters, according to the report.
Despite this, Johnson intensified his rhetoric on Wednesday, describing the protests as “dangerous” and suggesting that it might be the “appropriate time for the National Guard” if the “threats and intimidation” are not swiftly curbed.
The protests, involving students and faculty, are urging the Biden administration to back a permanent cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, halt military aid to Israel, and are advocating for their universities to divest from Israeli interests.
Why It Matters: The protests have been gaining momentum since April 2024. Students began demanding their universities to divest from Israeli-related stocks. The protests, which started at Columbia University, have led to hundreds of arrests nationwide.
Political figures such as former Vice-President Mike Pence and Sen. Tim Scott (R- S.C.) have criticized the protests, with Pence stating, "There is no place for Antisemitism in any form in any place in the United States of America."
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