Vice President JD Vance is reportedly well aware that the Trump administration is being accused of “fascism" amid the ongoing federal takeover of Washington, D.C., and is “hearing the criticism,” according to a reporter who interviewed Vance on Thursday.
“Their plan to fight crime isn't necessarily to send in the National Guard indefinitely,” said USA Today reporter Francesca Chambers, speaking on a CNN panel Friday morning.
“But he said that part of this is political, because they're being accused of fascism and other things that it works better if the cities want them to come in.”
President Donald Trump’s federal takeover of the nation’s capital, now into its third week, has been met with widespread condemnation among Democratic lawmakers, voters and critics, many of whom have likened the operation to those that regularly take place under authoritarian regimes. Trump has teased launching similar operations in other Democrat-controlled cities like Chicago.
But Vance is reportedly well aware of those criticisms, according to Chambers, and is hoping to navigate additional city takeovers in such a way as to avoid increased scrutiny.
“So they were hearing the criticism is what I hear in general, that concern about being seen as fascist?” asked CNN host Audie Cornish.
“Yes,” Chambers said. “But I also want to point out, I actually spoke to several of those mayors recently, and I think that they welcome federal help if it's the kind of help in areas that they feel that they need help with.”
So far, only Washington, D.C. has been subject to a federal takeover, which has seen thousands of federal officers and National Guard members patrolling the city’s streets day and night. Trump has teased for several weeks that he may launch similar operations in other major cities, and on Wednesday, teased a major announcement regarding Chicago, fueling speculation that another federal takeover is on the horizon.
“The people are desperate for me to stop the crime, something the Democrats aren’t capable of doing,” Trump wrote Wednesday on his social media platform Truth Social. “Stay tuned!”
