Today, Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX) helped introduce a bill to expand the National Guard's role in defending against dangerous drones during major events like the upcoming World Cup and Olympics.
Rep. McCaul, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee’s Task Force on Securing the Homeland Amidst Special Events, was joined in a bipartisan effort to present the Guard the Skies Act to allow the National Guard to counter threats from “unmanned aerial systems,” or drones, while remaining under the control of state governors.
As the 2026 World Cup and Summer Olympics approach, Rep. McCaul said U.S. host cities will face an unprecedented, high-threat security environment that will require additional security measures.
“The Guard the Skies Act would leverage the National Guard — a force uniquely positioned for rapid deployment and crisis response — to protect our skies and the large-scale gatherings below,” he said.
Reps. McCaul and Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz) also recently sent a letter to federal officials in the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice on this issue, pressing the timeliness and importance of the matter.
“The 2026 FIFA World Cup will bring an unprecedented number of global spectators to our homeland, and the eyes of the world will be on the United States,” Reps. McCaul and Crane wrote. “Ensuring the safety of these events and attendees is a responsibility we must meet with no room for error.”
Although passing the Safer Skies Act and National Defense Authorization Act were key first steps in increasing protection from aerial devices in recent years, Rep. McCaul said an advanced drone operation would present a more complex threat that local authorities alone would be unable to contain.
"From foreign adversaries to transnational criminal organizations, hostile actors have increasingly adopted drone technology to target critical infrastructure and innocent civilians,” Rep. McCaul said.
Another supporter of the bill, Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), said that the ongoing attacks on U.S. servicemen in the Middle East by Russia and Iran create an added layer of anxiety regarding the aerial security at these upcoming events.
“America must learn the lessons of modern warfare by strengthening our defenses against emerging threats,” Rep. Kaptur said. “Unmanned systems are transforming the battlefield with major implications for national security.”
