Sunday, August 24, 2025

Ongoing political coup in the US as Trump moves troops into large Democrat controlled cities

There is currently no verified evidence of a political coup in the United States; however, President Trump has enacted unprecedented measures by deploying National Guard troops and taking federal control of police in major Democrat-controlled cities, beginning with Washington, DC, and threatening to extend this to Chicago, New York, and others.bbc+4

Troop Deployments and Federal Actions

Trump has ordered approximately 800 National Guard personnel to Washington, DC, along with federal law enforcement, citing a supposed surge in violent crime and homelessness as justification—even as local crime statistics show significant declines this year. His administration has stated these deployments represent a new strategy for “saving” cities they describe as “overrun,” a characterization fiercely disputed by elected Democratic officials and independent data. Armoured vehicles and armed personnel have been visibly stationed in the capital, prompting strong pushback and protests from city leaders and residents concerned over eroding municipal autonomy.reuters+7

Expansion Threats to Other Cities

The President has publicly threatened to expand the deployment of troops to additional urban centers such as Chicago, New York, Baltimore, and Los Angeles. In Chicago, the Pentagon has readied plans for troop deployment, and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has condemned these moves as “manufacturing a crisis” to abuse federal power. Legal experts note that Trump’s ability to federalize police and deploy troops is far greater in Washington, DC than in other states due to the city’s special status under the Home Rule Act and federal jurisdiction.aljazeera+4

Mayors and Democratic officials in targeted cities have strongly objected, describing the deployments as “authoritarian” and warning of a manufactured crisis for political gain. Congressional intervention would be required to permanently remove home rule from DC and much of Trump’s wider proposed action would face significant legal challenges outside the federal district. The operations have resulted in hundreds of arrests, mostly for serious offenses, but the scale and scope of alleged threats have been questioned by independent reviewers.aljazeera+5

Public Response and Impact

Widespread protests have occurred in Washington and other cities, with many residents and local government officials asserting these federal moves represent an aggressive disregard for established U.S. norms of municipal governance and local autonomy. Polls show strong opposition among DC residents to the federal law enforcement operation and anxiety about potential escalation elsewhere.cbc+1

In summary, while Trump’s actions represent an extraordinary assertion of federal power and significant military presence in Democrat-led cities, there is no substantiated report or confirmation of a traditional political coup; rather, it is viewed as a contentious and legally fraught expansion of executive authority amid deep national divisions.aljazeera+2

  1. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy7ypm6zxp2o
  2. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-takes-over-dc-police-extraordinary-move-deploys-national-guard-capital-2025-08-11/
  3. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/22/chicago-will-be-next-trump-teases-troop-expansion-in-democrat-led-cities
  4. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-expands-targets-for-possible-military-deployment-to-more-democratic-led-cities
  5. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/24/trump-has-no-basis-to-deploy-troops-to-chicago-top-democratic-us-lawmaker
  6. https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/trump-deploys-national-guard-dc-threatens-federal-takeover/
  7. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/22/on-edge-trumps-military-deployment-in-us-capital-sparks-fear-confusion
  8. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/national-guard-washington-crackdown-trump-1.7611055
  9. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-national-guard-military-states-cities-b2812837.html
  10. https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/pentagon-readies-plans-deploy-troops-142758392.html
  11. https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/23/us/us-cities-trump-dc-police
  12. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2110me5g4o
  13. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/one-week-trumps-dc-takeover-attempt

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