Why did Trump deploy the National Guard to Washington, DC? |Cas Mudde

INA Dangerous New Upgrade His Dictatorship, Donald Trump Police officers who have already taken the police Washington, DC Under federal control, he will deploy the National Guard to the country’s capital. The president believes that crime in cities is “out of control” – regardless of Crime number A sharp drop, including violent crime. But of course, this power grab is not about facts, but about distraction and perception, and also an opportunity to reconnect and refocus his foundation.

Like all the other outrageous things Trump has done over the past few weeks, DC’s takeover is first and foremost an attempt to get rid of the Jeffrey Epstein case. As Previous proof His appeal to the Wall Street Journal for attacks or prosecution of former President Barack Obama as he requested the rename of the NFL team to the (racist) Washington Redskins (“Barack Hussein Obama. Have you heard of him?”) He will do anything to get the Epstein case out of political and public debate.

But it is not only a deflection, but also an attempt to bring back the attention of his base back to Trump’s core, authoritarianism and nativism (which, as always, is closely linked to the far right). There is a clear pattern in the city where Trump is linked to chaos and violence. Cities such as Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Oakland are widely identified as black cities in the United States, while cities such as Los Angeles (Hispanic) and New York (typical melting pot) are also often excluded from the “real” America in the right-wing narrative.

Of course, in racist thinking, black and multiracial are associated with crime, danger, chaos, and the concept of “city” and “city” centers (the concept of deeply racialized in the United States). This racist fear and rejection of multi-ethnic cities have a long history in the country, but Trump himself has a long history. Just remember his infamous response Central Park Va multi-ethnic group of teenagers, was accused of raping a white female jogger in 1989. Before the facts were well known, Trump published an open letter in four local newspapers, describing New York City as an out-of-control city, calling for “implementation” and asking the city’s leaders to “Bring back the death penalty. Bring our police back. “The attack on multiracial cities, for example, is also a major part of his racist campaign in 2024.Bleeded” and compare Detroit to developing countries.

There is no doubt that Trump’s disgust for multi-ethnic cities is undoubtedly reinforced by successful protests on Black Lives Matter in 2020.insult”In the right-wing media-Today, twenty two% Republicans support the BLM movement, while 84% of Democrats are. Furthermore, multiracial cities disproportionately vote for Democrats, which is another pain. This is another key aspect of Trump’s dictatorial power grab.

By targeting multi-ethnic cities like DC and Los Angeles, Trump not only participated in these cities with a broad racist association of crime and violence, but he also strengthened the belief that these cities all viewed as “Democratic-run cities“is “out of control.” The message to his base is clear: democratic rule in (black) cities is “weak” and endangeres the (white) “heartland” – and of course, ultimately related to what former President Joe Biden calls “open border” policy.

Finally, the power grab is part of a broader agenda for building a deep dictatorial and personalized state in which violent monopoly is placed only in Trump’s hands. If implemented, New budget Transform the United States into a deportation country centered on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)increasingly operated as presidential militia Better than the law but also Better than others Law enforcement agencies and even military agencies.

It is crucial that liberal democratic actors take this authoritarian power seriously without letting it distract them or the wider public from the Epstein case. As long as the court remains valid to at least some extent, though Initial setbackcourt cases about Trump’s power grab in California remain open. The media has the responsibility to inform the public of the true facts, including Real-time verification Trump’s speech.

But, most importantly, the media and politics must stop seeing various actions as “events” and connect them to themselves and the wider public. Although each individual action may not be anti-democracy, they are all connected, and Together Constituting a clear and consistent attack on democracy. Although all institutions still exist, they represent the liberal democratic values they have established.