The Rise of Authoritarian Measures Amid Los Angeles Protests

Since Donald Trump's re-election, I have feared one particular scenario more than any other: that he would order the military to act against citizens protesting mass deportations, pushing the United States towards martial law. Yet, even in my wildest thoughts, I never imagined he would need such a flimsy pretext—small protests in Los Angeles last week—to deploy troops against the will of the city’s mayor and governor.

In today’s reality-bending political climate, it turns out the president does not have to wait for a real crisis to justify authoritarian repression. Instead, he can simply manufacture one.

While some protesters opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles have engaged in violence—such as the arrest of a man for allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at a police officer and another for riding a motorcycle into a police line—such acts must be condemned both morally and strategically. Every damaged autonomous vehicle or broken storefront only strengthens the government’s justification for harsher crackdowns.

The notion that Trump needed to send soldiers into Los Angeles because the unrest was spiraling out of control is a complete fabrication. According to a statement from the Los Angeles Police Department on Saturday evening, “The protests throughout the city of Los Angeles have been peaceful, and we commend those who responsibly exercised their First Amendment rights.” That very same day, Trump overruled Governor Gavin Newsom and federalized the California National Guard under a rarely used law designed to respond to “rebellion or danger of rebellion against the authority of the United States government.”

By Monday, with thousands of National Guard troops already deployed, the administration announced plans to send 700 Marines as well. The Los Angeles Police Department expressed clear reservations. Police Chief Jim McDonnell stated, “The arrival of federal military forces in Los Angeles—without clear coordination—poses a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us responsible for safeguarding this city.” However, safeguarding the city was never the true objective.

It is crucial to recognize that, under this administration, protests need not be violent to be labeled illegitimate uprisings. The presidential memorandum authorizing the National Guard references both violent acts and any demonstrations that “inhibit” law enforcement. This broad definition appears to encompass peaceful protests near ICE raid sites. For example, in May, armed federal agents raided two popular Italian restaurants in San Diego seeking undocumented workers, detaining four staff members while an outraged crowd outside chanted “shame” and temporarily blocked their departure. Under Trump’s order, such demonstrators could be treated as insurgents by the military.

The government has clear motives to intimidate those who might engage in civil disobedience. Violent protests serve their narrative, but peaceful demonstrations threaten the false story they seek to impose on the nation. The harsh treatment of David Huerta, president of the California Service Employees International Union, illustrates this. Last week, Huerta was forcibly detained after sitting on a sidewalk to block an entrance during an immigration raid in Los Angeles. He was thrown to the ground, resulting in hospitalization. On Monday, the Department of Justice charged him with “conspiracy to obstruct an agent,” a felony punishable by up to six years in prison.

On the same day, Trump also demanded the arrest of Governor Newsom. Viewed from any other country—soldiers deployed to suppress dissent, union leaders arrested, opposition politicians threatened—it would be unmistakable evidence that authoritarianism has arrived. The pressing question now is whether Americans will be provoked into resisting tyranny.

Many speculate that the conflict in Los Angeles may benefit Trump by casting him as a champion of law and order cracking down on criminal mobs. There may be truth to this. Trump is a skilled demagogue, adept at staging conflicts that energize his base. Evidence of this theatrical intent surfaced when it was revealed that Dr. Phil was present with ICE during the raids that sparked the Los Angeles unrest, filming a primetime special. Clearly, the administration sought a spectacle.

Nevertheless, public opinion remains fluid. It is vital for anyone with a platform—politicians, veterans, cultural and religious leaders—to call out the government’s authoritarian overreach. Officials like Stephen Miller have promoted the idea that Los Angeles is “occupied territory,” citing foreign flags carried by some protesters. Americans who still believe in democracy must loudly and repeatedly reject this falsehood, which is insulting in its attempt to justify a dictatorial power grab. If the truth cannot withstand such propaganda, the country is already lost.

It is worth recalling that in 2020, when Trump posed for a photo at St. John’s Church after park police and secret service agents deployed tear gas on protesters, he faced widespread condemnation from religious leaders and high-ranking military veterans, forcing the administration onto the defensive. A subsequent poll showed two-thirds of Americans blamed him for rising racial tensions. Disorder does not necessarily serve Trump, especially when it is clear he is the instigator. Strong voices are needed to counter his brazen falsehoods.

Indeed, the United States has shifted sharply to the right since Trump’s first term, enabling abuses that would once have sparked massive outrage. Many Democrats, exhausted by backlash over Black Lives Matter and large-scale illegal immigration, prefer to avoid fighting over the Los Angeles unrest. For months, they have sidestepped the immigration battles waged by Trump, focusing instead on the economy and tariffs, or on due process concerns around deportations.

But one cannot ignore a president deploying the military in an American city based on absurd lies about foreign invasion. Few signs are clearer on the path toward dictatorship. On Trump’s birthday Saturday, he plans a massive military parade in Washington to mark the Army’s 250th anniversary. Tanks en route to the capital have been photographed with the Lincoln Memorial standing solemnly in the background—an image resembling a Hollywood dystopia.

Protests under the banner “No to Kings” are planned nationwide that day. It is to be hoped that Trump’s attempt to suppress dissent will only fuel resistance. Those who wish to live in a free nation may feel fear, but they must not be cowed.