Support for the military is one thing that most Americans agree on. As a military veteran with extensive combat experience in four of our nation’s conflicts, I worry that the hard-earned reputation and trust that the American people currently have in their military institution will be lost if Donald Trump wins the election.

Among the many things that hang in the balance this November, one less discussed is the reputation and good standing of the U.S. military in the eyes of the American people. In a Pew Research poll taken in early 2024, every demographic category of American society, with the exception of 18-29-year-olds, had a majority positive view of the U.S. military. The overall favorability rating for the U.S. military in this poll of citizens was 68%. That’s an enviable number for any government institution in this era, and a number that makes the U.S. military the most trusted U.S. institution in both red and blue states.

Regardless of which candidate or party you support, consider the impact on the reputation of the military if Trump fulfills his promise to use the military to round up immigrants and others he has designated as “enemies of the people.” Take a moment to visualize the optics of the National Guard and military units setting up checkpoints in your town and pulling citizens aside for questioning based on their appearance or the accent with which they speak. Even if you think this is a good idea, or necessary, I am convinced that more than half of U.S. citizens will not support this policy, and many will protest it.

The reputation of the U.S. military will be forever tarnished by crossing this line. Like the proverbial genie in the bottle, you can’t put it back in once it is released. Simply put, the 60+% favorability rating of the U.S. military now held by Democrats and Republicans alike will fall precipitously. Additionally, a sizable portion of the recruiting pool age group (18-29), already the demographic with the lowest trust of the military, will be further put off.

Now, picture the disgraceful images of the 120,000 interred Japanese Americans incarcerated in internment camps during World War II. Scale that image up and imagine the promised 1-3 million that the Trump campaign has repeatedly promised to start rounding up on day one. Picture the image of these massive deportation camps being guarded by American soldiers.

Most of us will find these images horrifying. However, it is my belief that America’s enemies around the world like the way this looks. Keeping Americans divided and the U.S. military tied up rounding up immigrants and perceived enemies of the president is much better for them than concentrating our national energy on strengthening our alliances and maintaining forward presence around the globe. This potentially disastrous unforced error will be a pleasant distraction for our enemies and make it easier for them to pursue their strategic aspirations in the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula and Eastern Europe.

Military members take an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” not a political party or an individual. Many in the military will likely refuse to carry out these orders and consider them illegal. This will be another source of friction and disruption that will weaken our military institution. While my analysis requires speculation on what the impact will be if the military is used against the American people, it is clear it will not be a move in a positive direction. It is obvious to all in our present age that the American people are deeply divided, and this promised policy will only deepen the chasm.

Our current all volunteer military force represents and depends upon the support of all Americans. I, like many of you, remember a time in the late 1960s into the 1970s when the reputation of the U.S. military was deeply scarred by events in the unpopular Vietnam War. The hard-earned trust and respect the military earned in the five decades since Vietnam now risks being lost in a few short weeks if the military is ordered to go after American citizens. There are few, if any, ways for our nation to recover from crossing this line of using the military against the American people. Trump’s proposed policy will weaken our military readiness and threaten our national security. This is a corner that America should never turn, and I pray they don’t.