I am not surprised by this, but I am alarmed, as we should all be. This is a deliberate attempt to provoke violence and use it as an excuse to distract our attention from the humiliating pile of negative news Trump is combating. I am old enough to remember Jackson State and Kent State. We must stay calm and prepare to respond with nonviolence.
I also remember Jackson State and Kent State. Terrible times that are looking like will be repeated. Fear that the military in DC could erupt into some sort of chaos. The peaceful protests should not be in DC where he could create a diversion and start another situation like J6. Keep it out of DC and no retaliation if confronted.
We are now THISCLOSE to Trump declaring martial law. Activating the National Guard over the LA protests is exactly the opportunity he’s waited for to become a dictator. Not surprisingly, no Republican has the courage to stand up to him.
I am concerned about what will happen next week at his ego parade. It’s possible that there may be some kind of protests, even perhaps ala Tiananmen Square, which would give him an excuse to unleash the military already there.
As someone in his 70s, I have seen the country go through many protests, from those against the Vietnam War to the ones now against ICE’s tactics. These ones are the most frightening because we are fighting to take our country back from not just from fascism, but from millions of fellow citizens who think this is OK.
I share your concerns and frame of reference. Americans are not fully aware of the rights they’ve given up over time to feel ‘safe.’ That is particularly after 9/11 but also in the roughly 100 mile wide border patrol zone where 2/3 of the US population live.
From what is being reported and federal law, where things stand right now the National Guard is only empowered to guard federal properties. His communication with Cabinet members like HS did not set a geographic limit. IOW, it did not say it only applied to LA.
The verbal comments are highly inflammatory and designed to provoke authorization of the Insurrection Act. One of the more ridiculous is that because some protestors are waving MX flags it is an insurrection. If we follow that ‘logic’ flags on Jan 6 would have been entered as evidence of an insurrection.
The excessive force used by ICE and the threat to bring in the army are all designed to create an escalation to violent response, which in turn will be an excuse for the further escalation of the government response, ultimately leading to martial law.............a proven and predictable scenario from the dictator's handbook ....... The challenge will be to restrain the response to nonviolence so as not to give Trump the excuse to escalate the violence against those protesting against him......Why not, in a non-violent response, have peaceful protesters block his parade....Remember Tiananmen Square......
The violent protesters may be paid operatives by the regime to disrupt the peaceful protests. I’ve suspected that for some time. Peaceful protesters should immediately sit down on the ground when someone becomes violent, that way the violent people are exposed.
If everybody sits down at the No Kings protest, then it cannot be said that we were violent or traitors. I hate to sound paranoid but I would not be surprised if Stephen Miller or Kristi Noem engaged Jan 6ers or other MAGAs to start bad trouble. Let’s all get out there on No Kings day and do some good trouble!
Steven, you hit the nail on the head. This is nearly the exact same thing as the George Floyd demonstrations. And the perfect example of the distractions of our “dear leader”. We cannot allow this to deter us from demonstrating our No Kings opinions. It’s our responsibility to show all our fellow citizens that we stand up for the letter of the law and the Constitution. As a former Angeleno I get it, particularly Trump’s inability to run the country without brute force. His words in October and now are hollow. We should all feel sorry and ashamed that National Guard troops, our fellow citizens, are forced to take such action.
I always have thought that deployment of active duty military personnel on our own soil against our own citizens was forbidden by the Constitution, although this dictatorship is trashing the Constitution on a daily basis.
There is precedent, such as Kent State and other universities where protests against the Vietnam War were being held, and in the deep south to enforce voting rights and educational access.
Could not agree more, across the board. Trump has been itching for an excuse to do this. Hope those in protest are smart enough and distrust to keep nonviolent.
As a long-term Army vet myself, I am positive the Active Duty and Guard forces hate this call up AND the damn parade set for next week. Our forces deserve decent leadership but will not have ever have it with this bunch.
"It’s just a question of time before Trump invokes the Insurrection Act; yesterday Vice President JD Vance was already calling protestors “insurrectionists.” What a hypocritical farce in light of the actual insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021." And just a question of time until the orange sadist controls the military and turns it against all of us. What happens on June 14 may be a turning point for America.
Precisely. A reader of my substack, Jaye Shands, wrote this in response to something I wrote: “This reminds me of the training of and discipline practiced by civil rights workers. How great care was taken in selecting Jackie Robinson as the symbol of freedom who would break the color barrier in MLB. The time it took to ready those workers who integrated Woolworth counters. I only made sandwiches away from the site of one march. I can still recall how Ms Etta told me for weeks how important it was for me to hold my notorious temper and learn how to act should deputies show up at the church and threaten us. Successful civil action is no accident. It takes the right mindset and great courage. With troops in the streets now is the time when the “ going high” philosophy of Michelle Obama applies. These will be the days of John Lewis, the SCLC, CORE, the Freedom Riders and other bulwarks of the Movement. Americans would do themselves a service by studying the tactics of those who went before us.”
Well into the 1980s at protests or while picketing we designated our own ‘marshals’ usually they wore an armband. Their job was spotting troublemakers or other issues & keeping everyone on the same page.
I don’t think it is a coincidence that not long before the raids started in earnest in CA, trump was sending out messages about how incompetent Newsom was and mocking the idea that he wants to be president. Looks like the GOP worries about that.
Plus there is his big parade & protests are planned all over the country. His memo does not name CA or Los Angeles. It equates protests with rebellion.
- “To the extent that protests or acts of violence directly inhibit the execution of the laws, they constitute a form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.“
- The authorization applies where nothing has occurred “… and to protect Federal property, at locations where protests against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur based on current threat assessments and planned operations.—
The leaders and billionaire forces of the Heritage Foundation are executing a plan to dismantle and destroy Democracy in America. Stay clear eyed and informed, this is the crisis of our time as a nation. Will you be part of the problem, or part of the solution? Each of us has a choice.
How dare Trump call on the national guard to patrol our streets. He has been itching for this escalation, of course, because it is an essential step on the road to full-blown dictatorship.
The worthless bunch of Republicans in Congress are no more than a rubberstamp for this degenerate's behavior. So we, The People, have to rise to the existential challenge of ending this regime. It is imperative that each and every one of us joins a protest next Saturday, June 14. Please take friends. But the protests on that day will be just the start: we need ongoing, nonviolent civil disobedience on a scale that is massive enough to bring the regime to a grinding halt.
Enough! Children the world over are being killed because of Trump. If we remain silent in the face of this horror, we will be complicit with him.
And, by the way, Donald, what stopped you from calling out the national guard when your thugs were storming our Capitol?
Where is Congress ? Impeachment. Conviction and Removal are the obvious peaceful solution but chicken RINO representatives refuse to perform their DUTY to remove a rouge, lawless and dictatorial chief executive who kis will to command Americans using their First Amendment Inalienable right to protest their greveniences since he refuses to accept the rule of law and the Constitution. The next election is to far off in the future, these syncophan ts need to realize it is the power of Congress to axt that is being denied. Their Power and the Power of the Governed are being denied. So WAKE UP you dumb compliant Representatives and Senators and take back your power and responsibility and IMPEACH<, CONVICT and REMOVE this menace NOW.
Republicans will not Impeach. They mimic Trump because they are afraid OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE! The Supreme Court has enabled -even cheered Trump on- in his lawlessness. May they all be branded quislings and cowards throughout history.
Thank you, Stephen for this. Always clear, concise truthful
I hope the governor of California will now stop the path that he has been on and will go forward standing up against and stating what is happening instead of trying to brand himself to run for president seeking interviews with any Maga/ facism people trying to normalize it.
There have been many alarms going off in this country for years about the fascist authoritarian movement and the assault on our constitution, and our government rule of law, our rights and our freedoms as American citizens.
Of course this is intentional by Trump . Yet on January 6, as our Capitol building was being attacked by violent insurrectionists putting members of Congress in fear for their lives, attacking and assaulting the Capitol police doing their job protecting our capital and members of Congress killing some snd seriously injuring others in a riot intended to take over our government and stop the certification of a legitimate election Trump sat in the White House, watching it on TV cheering them on.
He did not send the National Guard to stop anything. He did not care that the crowd was yelling to hang his vice president and Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the house.
He did not care that they had resurrected a guillotine on the grounds with the White House in the background as they were calling out to hang people.
He did not care that they removed our American flag from our capital building and replaced it with Trump flags. A truly disgusting picture that has never happened with our capital.
If Vice President Mike Pence
If the cabinet
And the members of Congress had done their job fulfilling the oath that they took to protect the United States of America and our most precious constitution they would’ve invoked the 25th amendment to remove Donald Trump from office immediately which would have forbidden him from ever returning to the office of presidency or be able to hold any public office at all.
It would’ve prevented the billionaires behind all of this from using their money to assure that he returned there to carry out their 2025 plan of fascism and authoritarian takeover and destruction of our democracy as created by Curtis Yarvin and Russell Vought who is now in the trumpet administration.
A call must be made for his resignation.
And we would not be in the position we are in today, watching this horrific taking over of our country with such illegal unconstitutional fascist behavior . All the gaslighting and the emotional manipulating and the firehose of misinformation that has gone on, has done much damage and compromise many people emotionally in our country.
Historians such as yourself Steven giving sound good information to keep people, emotionally, grounded, and centered, and in reality is so valued and appreciated and needed.
Nothing in these past several years has been about politics or policy or governing . It has always been about a fascist authoritarian takeover.
Many people left the Republican Party before 2016 recognizing the corruption, the viciousness and the evil that had taken it over.
Where were the National Guard and law enforcement in heavy riot gear on January 6th for an actual insurrection? Remember those armed people who overran the Capitol, violently attacked police officers, sought to stop the certification of the vote, disrupted Congress and were looking to hang VP Mike Pence and Speaker Pelosi and all the rest of it? Oh, wait. I forgot: Those people were white. Nevermind.
I am not surprised by this, but I am alarmed, as we should all be. This is a deliberate attempt to provoke violence and use it as an excuse to distract our attention from the humiliating pile of negative news Trump is combating. I am old enough to remember Jackson State and Kent State. We must stay calm and prepare to respond with nonviolence.
https://open.substack.com/pub/robertreich/p/a-time-for-non-violent-civil-disobedience?r=e05gu&utm_medium=ios
Here’s Robert Reich on this egregious, cynical, dangerous deployment of the NG.
And a quick dive into the legal implications from Steve Vladeck: https://open.substack.com/pub/stevevladeck/p/156-federalizing-the-california-national?r=e05gu&utm_medium=ios
Thank you for these, Marina
I also remember Jackson State and Kent State. Terrible times that are looking like will be repeated. Fear that the military in DC could erupt into some sort of chaos. The peaceful protests should not be in DC where he could create a diversion and start another situation like J6. Keep it out of DC and no retaliation if confronted.
And from Alt National Park Service: https://www.facebook.com/B4TW24/posts/pfbid022kGRZTYKH24ubT8kLuNqCauLqxVjwUZJA26uG8pKJCmE5bVvJuYBCkJbQhxvRWGkl
I love Alt Nat’l Park Service. Any Alt posting from the now unemployed employees is true and sometimes delightful to read.
Thank you for this guidance, Steven. Gandhi said
"Non-violence is a weapon of the strong." We are coming to understand both the importance and the depth of this strength.
With the problem being that the non-violent are often killed by the violent.
We are now THISCLOSE to Trump declaring martial law. Activating the National Guard over the LA protests is exactly the opportunity he’s waited for to become a dictator. Not surprisingly, no Republican has the courage to stand up to him.
I am concerned about what will happen next week at his ego parade. It’s possible that there may be some kind of protests, even perhaps ala Tiananmen Square, which would give him an excuse to unleash the military already there.
As someone in his 70s, I have seen the country go through many protests, from those against the Vietnam War to the ones now against ICE’s tactics. These ones are the most frightening because we are fighting to take our country back from not just from fascism, but from millions of fellow citizens who think this is OK.
I fear for our country.
Before I read your post, Pete, I wrote similarly. Overwhelmed to the point of tears.
Let our tears become determination to save our country.
For me: OUTRAGE!!!
I share your concerns and frame of reference. Americans are not fully aware of the rights they’ve given up over time to feel ‘safe.’ That is particularly after 9/11 but also in the roughly 100 mile wide border patrol zone where 2/3 of the US population live.
From what is being reported and federal law, where things stand right now the National Guard is only empowered to guard federal properties. His communication with Cabinet members like HS did not set a geographic limit. IOW, it did not say it only applied to LA.
The verbal comments are highly inflammatory and designed to provoke authorization of the Insurrection Act. One of the more ridiculous is that because some protestors are waving MX flags it is an insurrection. If we follow that ‘logic’ flags on Jan 6 would have been entered as evidence of an insurrection.
Maybe the NG and the Marines from Pendleton should “crowd control” ICE? Trump and Homan are trying to distract us.
That wold be a good plan if only they would do that.
The excessive force used by ICE and the threat to bring in the army are all designed to create an escalation to violent response, which in turn will be an excuse for the further escalation of the government response, ultimately leading to martial law.............a proven and predictable scenario from the dictator's handbook ....... The challenge will be to restrain the response to nonviolence so as not to give Trump the excuse to escalate the violence against those protesting against him......Why not, in a non-violent response, have peaceful protesters block his parade....Remember Tiananmen Square......
The violent protesters may be paid operatives by the regime to disrupt the peaceful protests. I’ve suspected that for some time. Peaceful protesters should immediately sit down on the ground when someone becomes violent, that way the violent people are exposed.
Does everyone remember the song…”Ohio”by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young? 1970.
If everybody sits down at the No Kings protest, then it cannot be said that we were violent or traitors. I hate to sound paranoid but I would not be surprised if Stephen Miller or Kristi Noem engaged Jan 6ers or other MAGAs to start bad trouble. Let’s all get out there on No Kings day and do some good trouble!
Steven, you hit the nail on the head. This is nearly the exact same thing as the George Floyd demonstrations. And the perfect example of the distractions of our “dear leader”. We cannot allow this to deter us from demonstrating our No Kings opinions. It’s our responsibility to show all our fellow citizens that we stand up for the letter of the law and the Constitution. As a former Angeleno I get it, particularly Trump’s inability to run the country without brute force. His words in October and now are hollow. We should all feel sorry and ashamed that National Guard troops, our fellow citizens, are forced to take such action.
I always have thought that deployment of active duty military personnel on our own soil against our own citizens was forbidden by the Constitution, although this dictatorship is trashing the Constitution on a daily basis.
“forbidden by the constitution” — when has that stopped this gang?
It hasn't yet
They are hesitant. That’s why the provocation — to “justify” a future declaration.
There is precedent, such as Kent State and other universities where protests against the Vietnam War were being held, and in the deep south to enforce voting rights and educational access.
I know Kent State was National Guard troops. I am not aware of active duty troops ever being used within our own borders
It was also an unfortunate example of just how wrong things can go when NGs are used incorrectly for such activities.
Could not agree more, across the board. Trump has been itching for an excuse to do this. Hope those in protest are smart enough and distrust to keep nonviolent.
As a long-term Army vet myself, I am positive the Active Duty and Guard forces hate this call up AND the damn parade set for next week. Our forces deserve decent leadership but will not have ever have it with this bunch.
"It’s just a question of time before Trump invokes the Insurrection Act; yesterday Vice President JD Vance was already calling protestors “insurrectionists.” What a hypocritical farce in light of the actual insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021." And just a question of time until the orange sadist controls the military and turns it against all of us. What happens on June 14 may be a turning point for America.
They are agitating to get a reaction that will ‘justify’ it.
Precisely. A reader of my substack, Jaye Shands, wrote this in response to something I wrote: “This reminds me of the training of and discipline practiced by civil rights workers. How great care was taken in selecting Jackie Robinson as the symbol of freedom who would break the color barrier in MLB. The time it took to ready those workers who integrated Woolworth counters. I only made sandwiches away from the site of one march. I can still recall how Ms Etta told me for weeks how important it was for me to hold my notorious temper and learn how to act should deputies show up at the church and threaten us. Successful civil action is no accident. It takes the right mindset and great courage. With troops in the streets now is the time when the “ going high” philosophy of Michelle Obama applies. These will be the days of John Lewis, the SCLC, CORE, the Freedom Riders and other bulwarks of the Movement. Americans would do themselves a service by studying the tactics of those who went before us.”
Good point. People don’t realize how well organized the Civil Rights movement was. There is a similar story behind Rosa Parks and her lawsuit. https://www.thehenryford.org/explore/stories-of-innovation/what-if/rosa-parks/
Well into the 1980s at protests or while picketing we designated our own ‘marshals’ usually they wore an armband. Their job was spotting troublemakers or other issues & keeping everyone on the same page.
I don’t think it is a coincidence that not long before the raids started in earnest in CA, trump was sending out messages about how incompetent Newsom was and mocking the idea that he wants to be president. Looks like the GOP worries about that.
Plus there is his big parade & protests are planned all over the country. His memo does not name CA or Los Angeles. It equates protests with rebellion.
- “To the extent that protests or acts of violence directly inhibit the execution of the laws, they constitute a form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States.“
- The authorization applies where nothing has occurred “… and to protect Federal property, at locations where protests against these functions are occurring or are likely to occur based on current threat assessments and planned operations.—
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/department-of-defense-security-for-the-protection-of-department-of-homeland-security-functions/
Armbands are a great idea! I hope that gets adopted everywhere!
The leaders and billionaire forces of the Heritage Foundation are executing a plan to dismantle and destroy Democracy in America. Stay clear eyed and informed, this is the crisis of our time as a nation. Will you be part of the problem, or part of the solution? Each of us has a choice.
How dare Trump call on the national guard to patrol our streets. He has been itching for this escalation, of course, because it is an essential step on the road to full-blown dictatorship.
The worthless bunch of Republicans in Congress are no more than a rubberstamp for this degenerate's behavior. So we, The People, have to rise to the existential challenge of ending this regime. It is imperative that each and every one of us joins a protest next Saturday, June 14. Please take friends. But the protests on that day will be just the start: we need ongoing, nonviolent civil disobedience on a scale that is massive enough to bring the regime to a grinding halt.
Enough! Children the world over are being killed because of Trump. If we remain silent in the face of this horror, we will be complicit with him.
And, by the way, Donald, what stopped you from calling out the national guard when your thugs were storming our Capitol?
Where is Congress ? Impeachment. Conviction and Removal are the obvious peaceful solution but chicken RINO representatives refuse to perform their DUTY to remove a rouge, lawless and dictatorial chief executive who kis will to command Americans using their First Amendment Inalienable right to protest their greveniences since he refuses to accept the rule of law and the Constitution. The next election is to far off in the future, these syncophan ts need to realize it is the power of Congress to axt that is being denied. Their Power and the Power of the Governed are being denied. So WAKE UP you dumb compliant Representatives and Senators and take back your power and responsibility and IMPEACH<, CONVICT and REMOVE this menace NOW.
Republicans will not Impeach. They mimic Trump because they are afraid OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE! The Supreme Court has enabled -even cheered Trump on- in his lawlessness. May they all be branded quislings and cowards throughout history.
Thank you, Stephen for this. Always clear, concise truthful
I hope the governor of California will now stop the path that he has been on and will go forward standing up against and stating what is happening instead of trying to brand himself to run for president seeking interviews with any Maga/ facism people trying to normalize it.
There have been many alarms going off in this country for years about the fascist authoritarian movement and the assault on our constitution, and our government rule of law, our rights and our freedoms as American citizens.
Of course this is intentional by Trump . Yet on January 6, as our Capitol building was being attacked by violent insurrectionists putting members of Congress in fear for their lives, attacking and assaulting the Capitol police doing their job protecting our capital and members of Congress killing some snd seriously injuring others in a riot intended to take over our government and stop the certification of a legitimate election Trump sat in the White House, watching it on TV cheering them on.
He did not send the National Guard to stop anything. He did not care that the crowd was yelling to hang his vice president and Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the house.
He did not care that they had resurrected a guillotine on the grounds with the White House in the background as they were calling out to hang people.
He did not care that they removed our American flag from our capital building and replaced it with Trump flags. A truly disgusting picture that has never happened with our capital.
If Vice President Mike Pence
If the cabinet
And the members of Congress had done their job fulfilling the oath that they took to protect the United States of America and our most precious constitution they would’ve invoked the 25th amendment to remove Donald Trump from office immediately which would have forbidden him from ever returning to the office of presidency or be able to hold any public office at all.
It would’ve prevented the billionaires behind all of this from using their money to assure that he returned there to carry out their 2025 plan of fascism and authoritarian takeover and destruction of our democracy as created by Curtis Yarvin and Russell Vought who is now in the trumpet administration.
A call must be made for his resignation.
And we would not be in the position we are in today, watching this horrific taking over of our country with such illegal unconstitutional fascist behavior . All the gaslighting and the emotional manipulating and the firehose of misinformation that has gone on, has done much damage and compromise many people emotionally in our country.
Historians such as yourself Steven giving sound good information to keep people, emotionally, grounded, and centered, and in reality is so valued and appreciated and needed.
Nothing in these past several years has been about politics or policy or governing . It has always been about a fascist authoritarian takeover.
Many people left the Republican Party before 2016 recognizing the corruption, the viciousness and the evil that had taken it over.
DOGE was never about fraud and waste.
It was always about :
“Destruction Of Government Entirely”
Where were the National Guard and law enforcement in heavy riot gear on January 6th for an actual insurrection? Remember those armed people who overran the Capitol, violently attacked police officers, sought to stop the certification of the vote, disrupted Congress and were looking to hang VP Mike Pence and Speaker Pelosi and all the rest of it? Oh, wait. I forgot: Those people were white. Nevermind.