In a sweeping expansion of executive authority, Donald Trump issued a presidential memorandum ordering the deployment of at least 2,000 National Guard troops—and potentially more active-duty personnel—to protect federal immigration enforcement functions, citing alleged threats and violence. However, the memo blurred the line between protest and rebellion, invoked questionable legal justifications, and omitted key oversight measures, raising serious constitutional concerns. Trump's subsequent Truth Social posts escalated the rhetoric, painting Los Angeles as a city under siege by migrants and “radical left” agitators, mocking state leaders, and declaring unilateral federal intervention. His language veered into militarized nativism, equating dissent with criminality, and announcing unconstitutional restrictions like banning masks at protests.

The administration’s justification faltered further in a CBS interview with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who offered vague, partisan, and evasive responses about troop deployments and protest policy. Noem provided no clear legal rationale or operational details, conflated protesters with criminals, dismissed concerns about civil liberties, and avoided answering whether the administration intended to deploy active-duty forces under the Insurrection Act. Her rhetoric emphasized loyalty to Trump over transparent governance, echoing the administration’s pattern of using federal power as a political cudgel rather than a calibrated response to unrest.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt compounded this trend in a Fox News interview, touting implausible economic projections tied to the “One Big, Beautiful Bill,” minimizing reports of internal altercations involving Elon Musk, and attacking the press. She celebrated judicial support for restricting media access as a democratic victory, reinforcing the administration’s antagonism toward dissent and its desire to control the narrative rather than inform the public. Simultaneously, a federal judge declined to block Trump’s dismissal of three Corporation for Public Broadcasting board members, a move critics warned undermines protections against political interference in public media. Together, these events illustrate a governance strategy marked by legal brinkmanship, rhetorical escalation, and a disregard for democratic norms in favor of executive supremacy.

Click here for a complete transcript and source links.

Get full access to What Did Donald Trump Do Today? at whatdiddonaldtrumpdotoday.substack.com/subscribe