Trump's 'military spectacles' are 'distracting' from 'flailing agenda': analysis
President Donald Trump is trying to distract Americans from his “flailing agenda” with “twin military spectacles,” according to an analysis by USA Today columnist Chris Brennan.
“Trump is wasting an estimated $134 million to send 4,000 National Guard members and 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles,” Brennan said before adding, Trump is also “blowing at least an additional $45 million, for a June 14 military parade, which by no coincidence at all is also his 79th birthday.”
Brennan believes this is a poor camouflage because “Trump has failed in his promise to deport millions of undocumented people,” the columnist said. “And his One Big Beautiful Bill Act is going bust as his own Republican allies battle about the budget and how it will swell our nation's deficit.”
He added that Trump is a “self-styled strongman who feels compelled to fill the streets with soldiers and tanks is really just revealing how very weak he really is.”
Brennan believes Trump is not just being a strong man by siccing the United States military on protesters in Los Angeles, but also Trump’s comments about the military parade are showing how the “petulant president” is going to “get what he wants on his birthday. And he'll happily turn that military against his critics if they complain.”
He quoted Trump’s June 10 comments where Trump “warned that any protesters at his parade ‘will be met with very heavy force,” before noting “Trump has a well-documented history of inciting violence when he thinks he might benefit from it.”
“[Trump] doesn't just use violence as a tool,” Brennan said, “He's a longtime fan.”
He added, “Trump craves control and needs you to see it. So see this for what it really is.”
The columnist is encouraging people to “Stay focused on the money you pay in taxes so he can play strongman with a military he can't respect.”
He also warned, “This is a trial run. He wants the role for real. And he knows we can stop him.”