With an approval rating that’s fallen off a cliff and a worsening economy, what’s your next move?
If you’re Donald Trump, the answer is trying to use an obscure decades old rule to take control of Washington DC Police and the National Guard.
The Trump regime’s announcement this week falsely justifies the takeover by declaring an “emergency,” even though the city has taken a serious approach to public safety and crime is at a 30 year low.
Why is he doing this now? There are 3 key reasons…
1) Trump is attempting to distract from his poor economic record and weakening approval rating
With his approval ratings declining, Trump is trying to shift the focus away from the issues that matter to most Americans, including rising grocery prices, housing we can afford, and a weak job market.
By deploying the National Guard to Washington D.C. and announcing plans to take control of the city’s police department, Trump is attempting to create a sense of crisis and urgency, despite his falling popularity connected to a disastrous trade war, cruel immigration policies, and the Epstein scandal.
2) It’s also about protecting the wealthy and powerful by ignoring the Epstein Files
The recent developments in the Jeffrey Epstein case have raised questions about Trump’s ties to billionaires and sex traffickers.
Among the concerns: Pam Bondi, his handpicked Attorney General, gave Trump a heads up that his name appears multiple times in the Epstein files and he has also refused to rule out pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted sex trafficker who worked closely with Epstein in trafficking and harming minors.
These concerns are not only creating doubt broadly, but also with many in his base who are frustrated with his refusal to provide truth and transparency for the hundreds, possibly thousands, of children and their families harmed over decades.
3) The Trump regime is trying to create police/military forces he can use to silence anyone who disagrees with him
This move is part of Trump’s larger plan to blur the lines between military and civilian law enforcement.
Trump has shown before that he’s willing to use the military to silence dissent and limit free speech, notably deploying the National Guard in Washington D.C. during 2020’s peaceful protests surrounding George Floyd’s murder. He also upped the stakes with an executive order to inject military and national security assets into domestic policing and law enforcement, alongside deploying the Marines against peaceful protestors in Los Angeles.
Big picture, these actions undermine the principles of democracy and the rule of law. More bluntly: if you disagree with him, even if you’re following the law, he wants the ability to use police/military forces to rip you away from your home in the middle of the night.
These moves by Trump are a clear attempt to seize power, protect his wealthy allies, and create a secret police force that he can control.
They are a threat to democracy, the rule of law, and the rights of all Americans. No one should be in favor of these actions, because he tried it in Los Angeles, now he’s trying it in Washington, D.C., and additional cities/states will follow.
Photo credit: public domain image from 2020’s US Army National Guard deployment
