The Texas Military Department (TMD) confirmed it sent seven National Guard members packing after they failed to meet “mission requirements” during a recent deployment to Illinois. That deployment, launched October 7th, involved 200 Texas National Guard troops dispatched for a 60-day assignment to help secure federal property amid a wave of anti-immigration protests.
The move to pull these underperforming troops came during the mission’s validation process—an internal review designed to ensure all deployed personnel were physically and operationally ready. And when seven didn’t make the cut, they were swiftly returned to their home stations. No excuses, no lowering the bar. Standards matter in Texas.
While the TMD remained tight-lipped about the exact reasons these service members were deemed unfit, speculation exploded on social media after a now-viral photo surfaced showing a group of Guardsmen arriving in Illinois. Critics wasted no time pointing out the apparent lack of physical conditioning among some of the troops, prompting a wider debate on military readiness.
In response to the online chatter, a TMD spokesperson made it clear: “The Texas National Guard echoes Secretary [of War Pete] Hegseth’s message to the force: ‘Our standards will be high, uncompromising, and clear.’” Hegseth has been a vocal advocate for raising the bar, calling in September for all combat-role service members to meet the highest male fitness benchmarks—regardless of gender.
Whether or not the Guardsmen in the viral image were among those relieved of duty hasn’t been confirmed, but the message is unmistakable: this isn’t a social experiment, it’s a security operation.
Meanwhile, the legal left in Illinois is having a fit of its own. Over the weekend, a federal judge ruled that while the National Guard can remain in the state, they are barred from actively patrolling or protecting federal facilities—essentially sidelining the very purpose of the deployment. This follows the Trump administration’s request to overturn a previous court order restricting the troops’ role. The court’s temporary restraining order now leaves the deployment in limbo, pending further legal wrangling.
Of course, Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth couldn’t resist jumping into the fray, reminding everyone that the National Guard “swore an oath to the Constitution, not Donald Trump.” No word yet from Duckworth on what part of the Constitution prohibits Guard members from protecting ICE offices during organized unrest.
Texas sent troops to help restore order in a state where Democrat leadership has turned federal buildings into protest playgrounds. But when those troops actually arrive, meet standards, and dare to look like soldiers—cue the outrage machine.
At least Texas still believes that when you’re sent to do a mission, you ought to be in shape to finish it.
