South Carolina Supreme Court Hears Guard Deployment Case

The South Carolina Supreme Court heard oral arguments on September 15, 2026, regarding whether Henry McMaster exceeded his legal authority by deploying hundreds of South Carolina National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. The deployments began in August 2025 following a request from President Donald Trump to support anti-crime efforts and civilian functions, including snow removal and beautification.

The South Carolina Public Interest Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina argue the deployments violated state law, which limits military use to specific conditions such as war, insurrection, invasion, riots, or public disasters. Plaintiffs contend that none of these conditions existed in the capital and that the governor improperly used troops for law enforcement roles without a request from local Washington officials.

Governor McMaster's legal team maintains that as commander-in-chief of the state militia, he possesses broad constitutional and statutory authority to deploy troops for security missions and to assist other jurisdictions. While hundreds of troops were previously stationed near the National Mall, only 30 remain in the city. The court did not issue an immediate ruling at the conclusion of the arguments in Clemson, and a written decision is expected in the coming weeks or months.