On Sunday, President Donald Trump activated the California National Guard without the consent of the state’s governor and deployed 700 Marines to the area.
Protests over the moves have broken out across the nation, including in Milwaukee. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed a letter speaking out against the deployment, calling it an alarming abuse of power and stressing the importance of a state’s ability to manage its National Guard.
And California Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a warning to state governors on NPR’s “All Things Considered.”
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“Regardless of your political stripe, this is a preview of things to come,” he said.
John Hall is a military historian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel. He told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” the deployment of the state National Guard could “absolutely” happen here.
“[The president] has made clear that his definition of what constitutes unlawful combinations, in terms of protests, is relatively low,” Hall said. “So where protests emerge, he has threatened he will take similar measures to respond to those protests.”
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“Moreover, he seems to be suggesting that states and municipalities that, in his judgment, are interfering with ICE’s mass deportation efforts right now are themselves obstructing the laws of the United States,” Hall continued.
As protests are expected around the country Saturday, including in Wisconsin cities, Hall talked with “Wisconsin Today” about the historic role of the National Guard and why the type of deployment seen in Los Angeles is so rare.
This conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Rob Ferrett: Are there standards for when a president can deploy the National Guard despite objections from the governor? What are the steps that are usually taken in a situation like this?
John Hall: It’s helpful to keep in mind the original context in which Congress decided to make this delegation of authority to the president. It was an era in which Congress would go into recess and be days or weeks away from the national capital.
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Officers make their way down a ramp to the 101 Freeway near the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, Sunday, June 8, 2025, following an immigration raid protest. Jae C. Hong/AP Photo
The idea was the president cannot sit on his hands if a foreign force invades the United States, waiting for Congress to come back to New York or Philadelphia and eventually Washington to authorize him to do this. So it really was almost a response to technological incapacity of that era.
But generally speaking, the one that the president has teased he is considering invoking is the so-called Insurrection Act. It generally speaks to the same sort of conditions of invasions or rebellions, unlawful combinations, things that prevent the execution of the laws of the state or the federal government.
RF: It seems like in American history, we’ve been more reluctant to use active duty military for law enforcement and security purposes.
JH: Absolutely and with very good reason. So the nation was founded with a congenital fear of what they then called standing armies. That is the idea that regular army soldiers kept under arms and in uniform and under military discipline in times of peace, historically, had shown themselves to be the tools of tyrants, and so the founding generation did not want such an army.
A lot of the debate that’s going on right now about the current deployment sort of hints around the concerns of this historically, but the one thing that it misses is that the regular forces of the United States have wanted to stay far clear of these kinds of deployments throughout history.
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Past cases in which they have been deployed in this manner have really put them in the crosshairs of acrimonious political debates where they do not like to be. Particularly post-Vietnam, it took the military a generation to rebuild public trust and they are very, very wary of squandering that public trust by being thrust into circumstances like this.
RF: The National Guard might help with voting during the pandemic or for civil disturbances. They might deploy overseas. They have some training relevant to this. But active duty troops like the Marines, do they have training when it comes to handling protests?
Not generally. It would be specialized training in preparation for a particular contingency or mission.
The National Guard is sort of a Swiss Army knife. It’s another one of the reasons why it is the force of first resort when the local capacity of law enforcement has been exceeded, and you need to enhance that capacity, or you need additional capabilities.
The National Guard is very well integrated with other state agencies. And the troops of the National Guard, depending upon their specific specialty, may be trained in how to respond to riots as a matter of course.
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Not to say that they are beyond criticism. Two of the most regrettable events in the history of the National Guard were in 1970 with deadly shootings at Kent State and Jackson State.
But that notwithstanding, the National Guard is generally more competent in the measured use of force to respond to these kinds of emergencies.
Whereas within the Army or Marine Corps forces, that’s not generally what they train to do on a day-to-day basis if they get orders.
LAS VEGAS – Wisconsin hockey’s Zach Schulz is skating and practicing with the team, but is he ready to return to game action?
The Badgers’ junior defenseman, who is a New York Islanders draft pick, has been out since Dec. 6 due to a broken leg he suffered against Notre Dame. Badgers coach Mike Hastings has noted that the 6-foot-1, 194-pound lefty was working toward a possible return this season.
Thursday, April 9 would be as good of a time as any.
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Outside of Michigan, North Dakota, the Badgers’ opponent in the national semifinal at 4 p.m. Thursday at T-Mobile Arena, will be the most prolific scoring team they’ve faced this season. The Fighting Hawks have 11 20-point scorers and rank third in the nation in scoring with 3.85 goals per game.
If Schulz’s return is going to happen, now would seem to be the time. Then again, maybe not.
“I do believe part of my responsibility or our responsibility as a program is to put young people in positions to succeed,” Hastings said during a press conference Wednesday April 8 at T-Mobile Arena. “We asked them to do the work, and he has done all the work.”
The Badgers’ blue line has been hit hard by injuries. In addition to Schulz, junior Logan Hensler is done for the year with a lower leg injury he suffered against Minnesota Jan. 31. Schulz was on the No. 1 line at the time of his injury. Hensler was part of the No. 2 group.
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Their absences partially explains some of the struggles the Badgers have had at times on defense. Getting a piece of that D-core back would provide a boost for a unit that will need to be on top of its game against North Dakota.
Hastings said he plans to talk with Schulz on Wednesday night.
“This has been a process that both of us committed to with our unbelievable training staff and doctors that are here and with his effort, he’s put himself in a position to be in that conversation,” Hastings said. “When (the injury) happened, we were hoping that would be the case, and that’s the case.”
More: Freshman class provides boost during Wisconsin hockey’s bounce-back season
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More: Daniel Hauser’s ability to handle adversity key to Wisconsin’s run to Frozen Four
Sprinkles early Wednesday ahead of a big warmup to end the week.
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REALLY AWESOME TO SEE HOW FAR HOPEFULLY THIS CAN TAKE US TO MORE EXPLORATION. YES, YES, 100%. AND THIS MORNING, OTHERWISE NOT PERFECT. IT’S NOT TOO BAD. WE’RE WAKING UP TO A FEW SHOWERS ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN, BUT IF YOU DIDN’T LIKE THE WEATHER YESTERDAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT BY THIS AFTERNOON. HIGH TEMPERATURES YESTERDAY TOPPED OUT CLOSE TO ABOUT 34 DEGREES. THAT’S WHERE WE’RE SITTING FOR A LOT OF SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN RIGHT NOW. WE’RE GOING TO WARM UP INTO THE 60S THIS AFTERNOON. YES, SOME OF US ARE WAKING UP TO MAYBE A FEW SNOWFLAKES OUT THERE. MOST OF US ARE WAKING UP JUST TO RAIN SHOWERS TO KICK OFF THE DAY TODAY, SOME DRIER CONDITIONS SOUTH OF I 94 IN OUR VIEWING AREA RIGHT NOW. BUT YOU CAN SEE THE ACTIVITY THAT’S STRETCHING BACK WEST OF MADISON. JUST A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS AND SPRINKLES ARE LOOKING POSSIBLE THROUGH ABOUT 10:00. THERE’S RAIN ALL THE WAY BACK CLOSE TO WATERLOO RIGHT NOW, SO IT’S NOT GOING TO STICK AROUND THE ENTIRE TIME. WE’LL HAVE DRY TIME BETWEEN NOW AND 10:00, BUT ON AND OFF SHOWERS ARE STILL POSSIBLE. MILWAUKEE HAS HAD SOME SHOWERS THIS MORNING. YOU CAN SEE THE RAINDROPS ON THE CAMERA LENS THERE IN OCONOMOWOC, AS WELL AS BROOKFIELD. DELAVAN SO FAR HAS STAYED PRETTY DRY AND RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE RAIN IS A LITTLE MORE LIKELY. CLOSER TO AND NORTH OF I-94. RAIN IN MILWAUKEE RIGHT NOW. THOSE CHANCES STICK AROUND INTO THE MORNING. BUT THE BIG STORY TODAY IT IS THE WARM UP. IT IS GOING TO BE NICE LATER THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWER CHANCES JUST ABOUT 9 OR 10:00. THEN THE REST OF YOUR WEDNESDAY IS GOING TO BE DRY OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. ANOTHER CHANCE FOR SOME RAIN THAT MOVES OUT BY THURSDAY. BUT THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY, ANOTHER RAIN CHANCE IS ON THE WAY. MOST OF OUR DAYLIGHT HOURS ARE LOOKING DRY 56 DEGREES ON SATURDAY, DRY FOR SATURDAY. THEN WE’RE TRACKING. WILL TRACK MORE RAIN CHANCES SUNDAY, MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND A BIG COOLDOWN AS WE HEAD INTO TUESDAY. BY WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK, TEMPERATURES COULD BE ON THE CHILLY SIDE. ONCE AGAIN. HERE’S FUTURE CAST. NOTICE IT’S MAINLY RAIN THAT WE’RE SEEING, BUT I CAN’T RULE OUT A FEW SNOWFLAKES HERE. OVER THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. THEN JUST SOME SHOWERS FOR THE EARLY PART OF THE DAY. AND THEN SUNSHINE IS BACK. IT WILL BE WINDY, SOME GUSTS AS HIGH AS 35MPH, BUT THAT’S BRINGING IN TEMPERATURES IN THE 60S LATER TODAY. AND THEN A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH AND RAIN CHANCES BUILD BACK IN REALLY FROM ABOUT 10:00 TONIGHT THROUGH ABOUT THREE, 4:00 IN THE MORNING. AND MOST OF YOUR THURSDAY IS DRY AND SUNNY. THEN NOTICE LATE THURSDAY EVENING INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. THAT’S WHEN WE’LL TRACK OUR NEXT CHANCE FOR SOME RAIN. SO THE BOTTOM LINE, THE BIG CHANGE FROM WHAT WE SAW THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS IS THE TEMPERATURES WILL BE BACK IN THE 50S AND THE 60S TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY, AND REALLY THROUGH MOST OF THE SEVEN DAY FORECAST, WE HAVE RAIN CHANCES EVERY SINGLE DAY, BUT MOST OF THAT RAIN IS FALLING DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS, AND WE COULD HAVE A FEW SHOWERS LINGERING OR BUILDING IN IN THE EVENING OR LINGERING INTO THE MORNING. BUT FOR THE MOST PART, DAYLIGHT HOURS. AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE REST OF THE WORKWEEK IS GOING TO BE DRY, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME SHOWERS OUT THERE TO KICK OFF THE DAY. TODAY THERE COULD BE SOME WET ROADS FOR YOUR MORNING COMMUTE. RAIN CHANCES RETURN LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. SOME SHOWER CHANCES LATE TOMORROW INTO THURSDAY, BUT AGAIN MAINLY OVERNIGHT RAIN CHANCES. SO THOSE 50S AND 60S WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO GET OUTSIDE AND ENJOY 56 DEGREES ON SATURDAY. RIGHT NOW, SUNDAY 70. THAT’S FANTASTIC. AND IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE A WASHOUT, BUT WE ARE TRACKING STORM CHANCES SUNDAY AND MONDAY. OH MY GOODNESS. HOPEFULLY WE’RE TURNING A CORNER, BUT IT IS STILL SO EARLY. FINGERS CROSSED. IT’S WILD TO THINK THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE SOME SNOWFLAKES AROUND RIGHT NOW AND WE’
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Impact Day: Wintry mix to 60s in SE Wisconsin
Sprinkles early Wednesday ahead of a big warmup to end the week.
Updated: 5:46 AM CDT Apr 8, 2026
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Early rain showers Wednesday morning, with parts of the area seeing a wintry mix as temperatures start near freezing. Showers move out later this morning. Skies will gradually clear through the afternoon, with highs warming into the low to middle 60s.Rain with a few thunderstorms return late Wednesday evening and night. Rain will move out by early Thursday morning. Thursday will be a bit cooler, but still mild with a mix of sun and clouds. Another chance for rain returns late in the evening, with shower chances lingering into early Friday. Most of Friday is expected to stay dry, with highs in the low 50s.Drier Saturday with seasonable temperatures in the low 50s. Looking ahead, a more active pattern returns with chances for storms Sunday and Monday as temperatures jump into the low 70s. Rain chances continue Tuesday, with afternoon highs dropping back into the low 50s.
MILWAUKEE —
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Early rain showers Wednesday morning, with parts of the area seeing a wintry mix as temperatures start near freezing. Showers move out later this morning. Skies will gradually clear through the afternoon, with highs warming into the low to middle 60s.
Rain with a few thunderstorms return late Wednesday evening and night. Rain will move out by early Thursday morning. Thursday will be a bit cooler, but still mild with a mix of sun and clouds. Another chance for rain returns late in the evening, with shower chances lingering into early Friday. Most of Friday is expected to stay dry, with highs in the low 50s.
Drier Saturday with seasonable temperatures in the low 50s. Looking ahead, a more active pattern returns with chances for storms Sunday and Monday as temperatures jump into the low 70s. Rain chances continue Tuesday, with afternoon highs dropping back into the low 50s.
OSHKOSH (WLUK) — The state defense lawyers association argues the judge made a mistake in allowing a Winnebago County jury to hear the case against Jason Lindemann, who crashed his power boat into a cruise boat.
Lindemann was sentenced to five months in jail and three years on probation and ordered to perform 150 hours of community service as a result of the July 9, 2022, crash between his powerboat and the On The Loos paddlewheel cruise boat. He was also ordered to pay $11,702.79 in restitution. The crash injured more than a dozen people.
Lindemann has appealed, claiming he drove his boat like “every boater does” and that the evidence doesn’t support the convictions. Prosecutors replied it believes Lindemann’s conviction should be upheld. Lindemann’s reply brief due is due April 14, then the appeals court will review the case and issue a ruling. That’s expected to take several months.
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Surveillance video of a July 9, 2022, boat crash on the Fox River in Oshkosh. (Courtesy Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office)
On Tuesday, the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed what’s known as a ‘friend of the court’ brief, offering its input on the issue of jury selection.
Brief from the Wisconsin Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers arguing for Jason Lindemann’s conviction in an Oshkosh boat crash to be overturned.
Click here to view the PDF file
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It noted the extensive publicity on case, from the day of the crash, onwards.
“WACDL submits that a careful analysis of precedent, and a realistic assessment of the pretrial publicity at issue, require that prejudice be presumed. Lindemann’s community was sufficiently against him that drawing his jury from Winnebago County violated his due process rights. The circuit court thus erred in denying his request for a change of venue, and reversal is warranted,” wrote attorney Megan Sanders.
The brief also argues the judge’s faith in voir dire — the juror screening and selection process — was “unfounded,” given the case’s publicity.
It argues the convictions should be overturned.
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“There is an effective solution for the due process problem at issue here. Case law supports it, Lindemann sought it, and the State — after explaining its concerns about proceeding in Winnebago County — declined to contest his request. Under these circumstances, and with no cogent rationale for keeping the case in Oshkosh, the circuit court erred in denying Lindemann’s motion for a change of venue,” the brief states.
