The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart Protests, Emergency Powers, and Petty Feuds
306 snips
Jun 12, 2025 
Jill Lepore, a Harvard history and law professor, and Kevin M. Kruse, a Princeton history expert, delve into the historical context of presidential emergency powers. They discuss the implications of military responses to protests, drawing parallels to significant events like Kent State. The conversation also touches on the evolving narrative of political feuds, particularly between Trump and Musk. With wit and insight, they explore how personal grievances and social media dynamics shape today's political landscape and threaten democracy.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Unusual Military Deployment at Protests
- Deploying military forces for protests is extremely unusual and almost unprecedented in peaceful times.
- Past incidents like Kent State differ greatly from current deployments, revealing a shift towards authoritarian tactics.
Military Action Reflects Political Ends
- Military interventions in protests often reflect political ends rather than pure law enforcement.
- Similar protests have had vastly different responses based on political motivations.
Trump's Frequent Emergency Declarations
- Trump rapidly and frequently uses emergency declarations to bypass normal legislative processes.
- Previous presidents used emergencies sparingly; Trump manufactured emergencies to consolidate power.