Texans sent to occupy a sovereign state
Greg Abbott has turned over control of the Texas Guard to Donald Trump. When Trump ordered Abbott to give him Texas troops, Abbott complied immediately, responding, “deploying now.”
Maybe a historian can find another example, but apart from the Civil War it is unlikely that Texas troops have ever before been sent to occupy and conduct military activity in another state, in opposition to that State’s governor. Abbott’s submission to Donald Trump is complete. Texans don’t have a Governor. We have a lackey who answers to Mar-a-Lago, willfully following orders from Donald Trump.
Hypocrisy, Cowardice, or Both
Greg Abbott wasn’t always so accommodating to U.S. forces. In 2015, President Obama’s Department of Defense was conducting simple military readiness exercises in Texas. The operation was called Jade Helm. Abbott flipped out. Instead of accommodating and supporting a strong U.S. military, Abbott encouraged crazy conspiracy theories claiming federal occupation.
It’s easy to call Abbott’s actions hypocritical, but hypocrisy alone doesn’t explain Abbott’s actions then or now. In both circumstances, Abbott collapsed to the extreme and often unhinged activists who now control the Republican Party. Trump is the anointed leader of extreme, anti-democratic autocrats. Abbott surrendering Texas to Trump is certainly hypocritical, but cowardice is his underlying character flaw.
Abbott Betraying and Exploiting Texas Guard Men and Women
Texas doesn’t have a standing Army. The men and women who serve in the Texas Guard hold regular jobs, have families, and have responsibilities at home. In exchange for leaving their families and jobs to serve our state, the Governor pledges that their time, skills, and courage will be applied to emergency situations involving natural disasters or legitimate threats to national security.
Greg Abbott has committed Texas Guard men and women to serve in Donald Trump’s personal military force. Trump is ordering them to invade other sovereign states where they may confront and harm American citizens. Abbott’s surrender to Trump is an act of betrayal unmatched by any Texas Governor since Texas traitors seceded from the United States and joined the Confederacy over 160 years ago.
