In a state where tropical storms and military honor are serious business, S.C. Democrats were quick this week to criticize Gov. Henry McMaster’s Aug. 16 decision to deploy about 200 National Guardsmen to Washington, D.C., during the hurricane season.
“Sending our National Guard troops away when S.C. families face the constant threat of hurricanes is reckless and irresponsible,” Greenville Democratic Sen. Karl Allen said in an Aug. 17 statement. “This is a dangerous political stunt that prioritizes Washington over the safety of South Carolinians.”
On Aug. 11, President Trump declared a “public safety emergency” in Washington, federalizing local police and putting National Guard troops on the streets. McMaster deployed S.C’s. troops in support of that mission, saying the state was “proud to stand with President Trump as he works to restore law and order to our nation’s capital.”
But with criticism mounting throughout the week — including an editorial in the state’s largest newspaper that called the move “political theater” — McMaster addressed the issue with reporters on Aug 21.
“The 200 [Guardsmen] we sent were not part of our hurricane response plan,” he said. “We have hundreds allocated for hurricane duty, and they remain here, ready to respond if needed.”
But state Democrats weren’t buying it.
“Sending 200 SC National Guard troops to DC for a non-emergency is reckless,” Charleston Democratic Sen. Ed Sutton said in an Aug. 21 social media post. “Our Guard should be on standby for real disasters at home, not deployed for partisan optics.”
McMaster has said he plans to call S.C.’s troops home in the event of an emergency.