An Analysis of Authoritarian Strategy
The evidence is staring us directly in the face, yet too many are afraid to call it what it is. Donald Trump’s deployment of federal military forces follows a clear and deliberate pattern that has nothing to do with crime rates and everything to do with political intimidation. But why is he doing? We have the answer.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Trump has deployed National Guard troops to Washington D.C., threatened Chicago and New York, and targeted Baltimore and other Democratic-led cities. Yet data shows that cities in Republican-controlled states sending troops to D.C. actually have higher crime rates. Memphis, Tennessee tops the FBI’s list with 2,501 violent crimes per 100,000 people, while Jackson, Mississippi had the nation’s highest homicide rate in 2024 with 77 homicides per 100,000 residents compared to D.C.’s 27.
Cleveland had the 2nd-highest overall crime rate among major U.S. cities in 2024, yet Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is sending 150 military police to Washington D.C. instead of addressing his own state’s problems. When confronted with these facts, Trump and his allies deflect with lies, claiming “blue states are fudging their figures on crime” rather than addressing the obvious contradiction.
This selective deployment reveals Trump’s true strategy: use federal force exclusively against Democratic jurisdictions to intimidate political opponents while maintaining support from Republican strongholds, regardless of their actual crime statistics. His objective? To sway democrat ratification of the Constitution through intimidation and blackmail so he can run in 2028 and beyond.
Constitutional Pressure Testing
Trump’s recent executive order on flag burning demonstrates exactly how he operates. While claiming the order targets flag burning that “incites imminent lawless action,” the order deliberately pushes against First Amendment boundaries established by the Supreme Court in 1989. The order includes qualified language that technically stays within constitutional bounds while sending a clear authoritarian message about silencing dissent.
His creation of “specialized units” in the National Guard specifically trained to “deal with public order issues” represents an unprecedented expansion of military involvement in domestic law enforcement. Each action tests constitutional limits while normalizing military presence in American cities.
The Ultimate Goal
Constitutional amendments require approval by two-thirds of both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures (38 states). Trump’s strategy becomes clear when viewed through this lens: systematically pressure Democratic governors and officials to either capitulate to federal authority or appear ineffective to their constituents.
As historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat noted, the ultimate aim is to “habituate Americans to see militarized cities and crackdowns against public dissent as normal” while seeking to “disempower and delegitimize all Democratic municipal and state authorities.”
The most vulnerable Democratic-controlled states for potential political flipping include Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania – states that could be targeted for increased federal pressure campaigns designed to weaken Democratic resolve.
The Warning Signs Are Everywhere
Trump has made explicit threats to deploy troops to Chicago, New York, and Baltimore – all cities with Black mayors in Democratic states – while ignoring higher-crime cities in Republican states. Military experts warn this normalization of domestic military deployment is “100 percent political” and designed to “dominate and police the American people.”
His administration has discussed invoking the Insurrection Act, which would allow active-duty military forces to perform domestic law enforcement – the kind of power typically associated with martial law.
A Call to Resistance
Democratic elected officials at every level must recognize what’s happening and respond accordingly. First, they must publicly and repeatedly expose this pattern of selective enforcement. Every press conference, every statement, every interview should highlight the hypocrisy of targeting blue cities while ignoring higher-crime red cities.
Second, Democrats must prepare for potential kompromat attacks. Trump’s playbook has always included digging up or manufacturing scandals against opponents. Officials should audit their own records now, address any potential vulnerabilities proactively, and prepare response strategies using Trump’s own tactics: distract from allegations with bigger stories, delay responses to control news cycles, deny credibly while avoiding specifics that can be fact-checked, and when necessary, blame others or redirect focus to opponents’ greater failings.
Third, the handful of Republicans showing backbone against this authoritarian drift must be supported and encouraged. Senator Thom Tillis already acknowledged that GOP governors are deploying troops “100%” to please Trump, not based on actual need. These cracks in Republican unity must be widened through public pressure and support for those willing to choose country over party.
The Stakes Could Not Be Higher
We are witnessing the systematic testing and erosion of constitutional norms designed to prevent exactly what Trump is attempting. The pattern of selective force deployment, constitutional pressure testing, and political intimidation represents a clear authoritarian strategy.
Every day that passes without massive resistance from Democratic leaders brings us closer to the moment when calling elections, changing constitutions, or abolishing democratic norms becomes not just possible but inevitable. The signs are all there. The question is whether we’ll act on them in time.
This is not politics as usual. This is a stress test of American democracy itself.
-James McKinnon, Political Correspondent for FUSA