Trump has encouraged a base of fringe elements, including white supremacists, racists, and other militia type groups, that he could call upon for violence, as he did on January 6, if that serves his goal. Trump would have no compunction to shoot protesters, as he already asked General Milley and Defense Secretary Esper in 2020 following the George Floyd killing, “can’t we just shoot them , shoot them in the legs or something”.
The gathering of 200 military leaders in Washington herded together by Pete Hegseth, was one step in forging a military loyal to Trump. You can be sure there were phone calls made to many of those in attendance, afterwards, to test the degree of loyalty to Trump.
The use of National Guard and military units to patrol city streets, and the use of teargas and other tactics, are advancing a climate of apprehension amongst the population and conditioning of the troops to heed the call, for action in the streets, if they are given orders to quell protests. Whether the protests are violent or made to look that way.
The Supreme Court gave him almost unlimited power, which he aims to use and then some. He sees the world as broken up into three spheres of influence, Russia, China and the U.S.
Early on in this Administration there were calls for workers to inform on others around them that were speaking out against the Administration. This is right out of the North Korean playbook to quell dissent. There, the practice goes so far as to mandate to family members to inform on other family members, as a duty to the state.
In the summer of 1974, when the Watergate scandel was at a boiling point, Secretary of the Defense, James Schlesinger was preparing to call the Commanding General of the 82nd. Airborne, at Fort Bragg, to enlist their help if Richard Nixon attempted to fortify the White House with Troops loyal to him. Fortunately this was not necessary, and Nixon resigned.
There is no James Schlesinger now. The major Cabinet postions are filled with Trump appointees, loyal to Trump and not the country. A violent confrontation with protesters in the streets would show the administration’s willingness to prevent dissent at all costs.
Some have voiced that such confrontations would lead to a Civil War. One thing making that unlikely is what Trump is counting on, that he has the guns on his side. RJB
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