The West Must End Its Double Standards Towards India

Selective outrage: Why Trump's National Guard deployment was just, and why America must stop lecturing India.

- DR JOSEPH M. CHALIL

When Los Angeles descended into chaos following contentious federal ICE raids, President Donald J. Trump responded with decisive constitutional authority. Over 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines were deployed to protect federal property and restore order. Despite legal backing under Title 10 and the Insurrection Act, mainstream media and liberal commentators rushed to brand this action "authoritarian." This narrative—disconnected from constitutional law and democratic necessity—reflects a broader hypocrisy that has serious diplomatic consequences, especially when juxtaposed with the West's treatment of India.

Let's be clear: President Trump's use of the National Guard was neither a power grab nor martial law. It was a lawful, time-limited, and coordinated federal intervention requested by overwhelmed local leaders. Under Title 32 of the U.S. Code, Guard troops operated under state command while receiving federal funding—an arrangement designed precisely for moments of escalating civil unrest.

Contrast this with how the same U.S. political class and media respond to India—one of its most important democratic allies. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi deployed state and central forces during the 2021-22 farmers' protests or after the revocation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, American think tanks, media outlets, and policymakers labeled these actions as "illiberal" or "authoritarian." But India, like the United States, acted within its constitutional framework to maintain order, protect its citizens, and defend national integrity.

This reveals a glaring double standard: what is deemed a responsible act of leadership in Washington is often condemned as tyranny in New Delhi.

LAW AND ORDER IS NOT AUTHORITARIANISM