Photograph Source: U.S. Northern Command – Public Domain

Donald Trump’s deployment of federal troops to Los Angeles represents a new and dangerous phase for American democracy. His actions should be taken as a warning sign of the authoritarian streak within the current U.S. president. This development further shows his lack of commitment to democratic norms and criticism, and his desire to use confrontational and highly visible tactics to intimidate.

While there is broad public support in the U.S. for addressing illegal immigration, most Americans do not approve of the confrontational tactics the Trump administration has used. Under Bush, Obama, and Biden, deportation efforts were carried out with more discretion and coordination. And also, they deported more individuals than Trump.

Never forget that Trump is a showman, using tactics like that in LA in order to grab media attention, flood the news cycle, and divert attention away from his administration’s kleptocracy and the damage the Big Beautiful bill........

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