Trump’s military solution to “internal enemies” could be suggested by a fascist

Fox News' Maria Bartiromo asked former President Donald Trump on Sunday if he thought the November election would be peaceful. Bartiromo specifically referred to “external agitators,” such as watchlist terrorists or migrants, who Trump falsely claims are driving up crime rates in the country.

Trump could have said he hoped the election would be peaceful. He could have used that moment in the interview on Fox News' “Sunday Morning Futures” to call for peace regardless of the outcome. He could even have said that he has no idea what far-left protesters would do if he won or what his MAGA base would do if he lost. Instead, Trump chose to express a fascist desire to use the military against his dissidents, or, as he called them, the “radical left lunatics.”

He said: “I think the bigger problem is the enemy from within. We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left-wing crazy people.”

Then he added: “This should be handled by the National Guard if necessary or by the military if it is really necessary, because they cannot allow that.” Trump not only said that this so-called internal enemy “is more dangerous than China, Russia and all these countries,” but he also said that some of his political opponents are enemies of our country, including Rep. Adam Schiff of California. , who led the prosecution in Trump's first impeachment trial and is running for the U.S. Senate.

Even though Trump will not be in power on November 5th, his authoritarian fantasy of the military dealing with political dissent and his political opponents is still a revelation of what could lie ahead for our country if he ever becomes commander in chief again.

Trump reportedly dodged military service in Vietnam when a podiatrist (who may never have examined him but was reportedly trying to ingratiate himself with Trump's father) claimed he had bone spurs. Yet Trump, as president, acted as if our military, in which he did not serve, existed to serve him. As protesters filled Lafayette Square across from the White House, Trump reportedly told Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, to “just shoot them.” He then had Milley walk with him across the square while the protesters were tear gassed. Milley later apologized for accompanying Trump to a political photo op in full uniform.

The New York Times reported in August that it had obtained an internal email from the Center for Renewing America that revealed discussions about using troops to “stop unrest” by protesters in a second Trump term. (This center is directed by Russell Vought, who was Trump's budget chief in the White House. Vought helped draft the Republican Party's 2024 program and was commissioned by the Heritage Foundation to edit the chapter on the Executive Office of the President in Project 2025 write.)

Trump has previously been accused of trying to manipulate the military for his own purposes. When he visited Japan as president, the Navy reported: “A request has been made to the U.S. Navy to minimize the visibility of the USS John S. McCain,” an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer named after Senator John McCain of Arizona became , the hero of the late war, and his father and grandfather. This request reportedly came from the White House. Trump, who has repeatedly disparaged Senator McCain and his services, said he did not make that request but called whoever did it “well-meaning.”

But Trump's proposal to use the military to attack the “enemy within” is far more serious.

While it is no longer a surprise that Trump disregards the rule of law, using the military for domestic law enforcement violates America's Posse Comitatus Act. And Trump's penchant for deploying soldiers on a whim isn't just limited to suppressing his dissent. When it comes to his personal security, Trump wants to be surrounded by the most elite parts of the military. He recently requested military support, including members of special forces, as part of his protection detail.

Former Trump security adviser and convicted felon Michael Flynn was recently asked if he would “sit at the head of a military tribunal to not only drain the swamp, but to imprison and, in some cases, execute the swamp.”

He replied: “There is a way to put this behind us, but we have to win first.”

“These people are up to no good anyway, so we have to win first. We win and then (Katy) locks the door. Believe me, the gates of hell – my hell – will be opened.” If you're hoping Flynn's star has faded with Trump, think again. Trump says he will bring back the disgraced general in his next administration. With a Supreme Court decision declaring that a president enjoys absolute immunity for actions within his core constitutional authority and presumptive immunity for conduct within the scope of official conduct, Trump and his sycophants would no longer have barriers between their authoritarian dreams and a nightmare of fascism.

If you think I'm being overly dramatic or alarmist, I ask you to examine how a society slowly slides into fascism. The three recognized pillars of fascism are demonization of domestic enemies, absurd lies, and disregard for domestic institutions – particularly elections and the rule of law. Importantly, these pillars, all represented in Trump's MAGA movement, have historically been united by an affinity for military values, which is reflected in Trump's vision for our troops.

If you are unsure whether Trump and his followers are heading down the dark path of fascism, don't believe me. Ask General Milley, who, according to journalist Bob Woodward's new book, said Trump was “fascist to the core.” Trump's core is completely exposed and rotting in plain sight.