Bulwark Takes Trump is Turning ICE and the National Guard Into His Militia
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Oct 8, 2025 The hosts delve into Trump's alarming threats to jail political opponents and his controversial deployment of the National Guard in Chicago. They explore the tension between federal and state authority, highlighting Texas’ risky offer to send troops. Legal battles emerge as they discuss past court orders impacting federal actions. The conversation shifts to Trump's strategy of intimidation and labeling dissenters as domestic terrorists. They also examine the implications of executive orders versus established law and ponder whether future administrations can safeguard against authoritarianism.
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Federalism Under Assault
- Trump is turning a legal federal-state conflict into a dangerous state-on-state confrontation by deploying out-of-state National Guard troops.
- JVL warns this escalation risks broader conflagration and undermines federalism.
Crisis As A Strategy
- The administration appears to be deliberately fomenting crisis by deploying federal agents and provoking protests.
- JVL argues these actions use peaceful demonstrations as pretexts to escalate force and consolidate power.
Federal Agents Assault Civilians
- JVL describes multiple incidents of masked federal agents assaulting Chicago civilians and journalists, including pepper-spraying a CBS reporter.
- He cites sworn local testimony calling the behavior outrageous and unprecedented.