Say Something Real
By Michelle Bryant
Michelle Bryant
In October, a number of media outlets began reporting that at least six senior Trump administration officials, including Stephen Miller, are living in housing on military bases. Miller, along with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense (War) Pete Hegseth, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, another senior political appointee to the Army, and one other senior White House official, have all been named as possible tenants.
Generals and other high-ranking military officers, who traditionally occupy these homes, are reported to have been displaced. It is highly irregular for civilian officials, particularly senior-level White House staff, to occupy these residences. With the exception of Hegseth, none of the named officials has a military service background.
The shooting of conservative talker Charlie Kirk, purportedly, coupled with protests outside the residences of these Trump officials, prompted some of these moves. I don’t discount a need for heightened security for folks who have so little regard for the harm they have inflicted upon the American people. Officials tied to controversial policies—such as family separation at the border, which Stephen Miller is widely regarded as the architect of—may require increased security due to threats. Noem, who has been accused of killing a dog, misusing taxpayer money, and disrespecting Indigenous tribes, is a whole hot mess. I could say more, but I think you get the point.
While this administration seems committed to providing security for governmental officials, no one was surprised when Donald Trump revoked the extended Secret Service protection for former Vice President Kamala Harris earlier this year. By law, former vice presidents typically receive Secret Service protection for six months after leaving office. Due to perceived threats Harris faced as the first woman and person of color to hold the position, before leaving office, then-President Joe Biden signed an executive order extending her security detail for an additional year. Cost and a threat assessment, Trump’s administration said, yielded no threats were cited as a reason for the cancelled security. Others believed the decision was politically motivated and an act of revenge.
Trump has also revoked security details for other political figures, including his former National Security Adviser John Bolton and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well as President Biden’s children, Hunter and Ashley Biden. But Stephen Miller doesn’t just need additional security, he and his wife need the full protection of military housing, on a military base, at the expense of a military family. Does anybody else see the problem here?
There is no justification sufficient to explain this abuse of presidential power and overreach. Historically, even under intense security threats, senior White House officials have not sought refuge on military bases. By placing senior White House officials in military housing, the Trump administration is blurring the line between military and civilian roles. They are using the military as a shield, both literally and symbolically, for controversial political figures, while sending a demoralizing message to the armed forces. It sets a dangerous precedent where civilian officials can co-opt military resources for personal or political reasons.
Decisions like this one should not be taken lightly, as they risk politicizing the military and undermining its critical role in defending the nation. The next administration—regardless of political affiliation—will need to carefully consider how to repair the damage to this delicate balance. Military bases should remain the domain of military personnel. Period.