Authoritarian on Parade

Deploying soldiers against American cities while parading tanks through D.C.? This is the dictator playbook, page by page.

Donald Trump has gone full authoritarian, needlessly deploying troops to Los Angeles to quell scattered violence triggered by protests against stepped-up federal efforts to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants. Now, his administration is threatening larger military deployments across the country. On Saturday, Trump is set to preside over a massive military parade—just like a dictator flaunting his might (it might rain…if you’re the praying type…maybe…).

This is exactly where Trump has been heading since he first campaigned on a promise to deport up to 11 million immigrants—nearly all Latino—living and working in the U.S. without legal status. Everyone knew this couldn’t be done without provoking backlash in places like L.A., where many of these individuals reside. So where did ICE go? LA. When protests erupted last week, Trump seized the moment as a pretext to send in the military, aiming to prove he’s serious about fulfilling his campaign vow. With unrest still unfolding—largely provoked by Trump himself—the military remains stationed in the city. Meanwhile, new protests have erupted in a dozen cities, further raising tensions.

As Trump abuses both the National Guard (who when activated are actually US Army) and the Marines, he’s getting exactly the imagery he wants. These scenes are being distorted—along with the facts—into a flood of memes and disinformation across social media, all fueling anti-immigrant outrage. This isn’t about public safety. It’s political theater. As one administration official bluntly told NBC News, “We’re happy to have this [political] fight.” A recent poll showed that 60 percent of Americans agreed with Trump’s decision.

A master of political showmanship, Trump is now poised to dominate national attention during Saturday’s parade in Washington, commemorating the Army’s 250th anniversary. (Not coincidentally, it’s also Trump’s birthday.) With tanks, artillery, and thousands of soldiers lining the streets—and aircraft flying overhead—it will mirror the spectacles of authoritarian regimes like Russia and North Korea. That’s why, by tradition, the U.S. military has avoided such displays. Real strength is silent.

But with a radically pro-Trump Secretary of Defense now leading the Pentagon, there was never any doubt this parade would happen. Scheduled for 6:30 PM Eastern Time, it’s designed for maximum prime-time coverage. From a reviewing stand near the White House, Trump will posture as commander-in-chief—the same one who militarized Los Angeles—to intimidate his critics. He has already warned that any protesters showing up at the parade will be met with “heavy force.”

This threat may seem unreal, but after watching the President engage in a full-blown political rally at Ft. Bragg in front of cheering soldiers who are supposed to remain non-political, that concern is greater.

We must not be intimidated.

We must speak out—boldly, peacefully, and in even greater numbers. To remain silent is to surrender. To cower is to comply. And that’s exactly what Trump the dictator wants.