TRUMP - Now Is The Time For Peace

 

Shortly after launching airstrikes on Iran, Donald Trump took to his platform of choice to declare, "Now Is The Time For Peace." The irony should not be lost on anyone paying attention.

The Hypocrisy of Trump’s Peace Rhetoric

Trump’s brand of diplomacy is theatre. He struck Iranian targets without warning, then asked for calm. But history shows religious hardliners rarely respond to violence with submission. Iran's leadership thrives on external threats. Military aggression only serves to entrench them further and rally support against the "Great Satan."

Obama’s JCPOA Was Working

The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) wasn’t perfect, but it was effective. Iran agreed to cut its uranium stockpile by 98%, limit enrichment to 3.67% (far below weapons-grade), and dismantle thousands of centrifuges. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed compliance repeatedly between 2015 and 2018. Daily inspections ensured transparency.

Yet in 2018, Trump unilaterally tore up the deal, despite no evidence of Iran breaching it. He called it "the worst deal ever negotiated," but had nothing to replace it with. Predictably, Iran resumed higher-level enrichment and reduced IAEA access. Trump created the very crisis he claimed to solve.

Was Iran Close to a Nuclear Weapon?

No, not at the time Trump withdrew. US and Israeli intelligence assessments, IAEA reports, and even Netanyahu’s own 2018 "nuclear archive" presentation all confirmed Iran had halted its weapons programme in 2003 and had not restarted it.

The CIA’s National Intelligence Estimates (2007 & 2012) concluded Iran had the technical knowledge but was not building a bomb. Trump's withdrawal lifted the lid on the pressure cooker.

Who Benefited? Russia.

While the West was distracted by Iran, Putin gained breathing room. Escalating tensions in the Middle East pushed Ukraine off the front pages, strained NATO unity, and drove oil prices higher – all favourable outcomes for the Kremlin.

This wasn’t the first time Trump’s actions curiously aligned with Russian interests. He'd previously delayed aid to Ukraine, questioned NATO's value, and undermined US intelligence. If Trump isn't a Russian asset, he might as well be.

Bypassing Democracy

Worse, Trump launched the strikes without Congressional approval. In a functioning democracy, war powers lie with the legislature. Trump once again acted like a strongman, not a statesman. It's a pattern: rule by decree, not by debate.

Crypto and Influence?

Layer in the bizarre detail that Trump profits from a meme cryptocurrency ($TRUMP) and questions emerge. Could foreign entities theoretically use these tokens to influence him? Israel is one of the few nations openly backing his return – would they benefit from US strikes on Iran? It’s speculative, but troubling.

Blowback Is Inevitable

The idea that the US can strike without consequence is dangerously naive. History tells us that military aggression breeds retaliation, not submission. From 9/11 (partly motivated by the US presence in the Middle East) to the rise of groups like ISIS, unintended consequences have defined American interventions abroad.

Trump's strikes on Iran all but guarantee a long-term cycle of revenge. Not just in direct military terms — but through cyberattacks, terrorism, proxy wars, and asymmetrical strikes targeting US allies and civilians.

As of now, America has likely put a target on its back for decades to come. Iranian hardliners — and those they influence across the region — won’t forget this. They’ll wait. They’ll build alliances. And they’ll retaliate when least expected.

Ordinary Americans, both at home and abroad, may face the consequences of this decision long after Trump has left the stage. Just like post-Iraq and post-Afghanistan, the damage will outlast the politician who caused it.

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Gary’s Soapbox Comment: Trump talks peace while dropping bombs, tears up agreements that were working, and gives Russia a smokescreen. He governs by impulse, not principle. And the world is more dangerous for it.

If it acts like a dictator, then it is a dictator. The military is acting at the direction of the President, not Congress. And when Congress is no longer in charge of authorising war, democracy itself is under threat. Trump talks peace while dropping bombs, tears up agreements that were working, and gives Russia a smokescreen. He governs by impulse, not principle. And the world is more dangerous for it.

The Blog of All Time: Ode to the Fart

(A noxious tribute to the Mango Menace and his gassy gang)

Donald is a Duck and a Trump is a Fart,
How do you fix what should never start?
He waddled through lies in a golf cart parade,
Where empty chairs cheered and facts were afraid.

The Fanta Führer, orange and loud,
Babbled like rainclouds yelling at clouds.
Commander in Queef, spraying ego and spit,
While democracy slipped down a gold-plated pit.

Taco Don, munching through grievances old,
Wrapped in a flag and dipped in fool’s gold.
The Tangerine Turd, tried to rule by tweet,
But logic and grammar both chose to retreat.

From Donny Two Dolls to DJ Chump,
He danced on the truth with a Mussolini hump.
The Flunky Bunch, so arse licking and loyal,
Turned the White House lawn into autocratic soil.

Sphincter Face, snarling, red in the jowls,
Still hears applause in imaginary prowls.
Kim Jong Loon the Taco, dictator cosplay,
With Putin and Xi smirking miles away.

Musk the F-Elon, Trump the Felon,
Two gas giants with nothing worth sellin’.
X and Truth, both twisted and frayed,
Their legacy? Lies in a bot-fuel parade.

Manchurian Cantaloupe, Kremlin-fed tweet,
Would sell out the West for a Big Mac and seat.
Coppertone Caligula, tantrum-prone,
With bronze skin peeled from a spray can alone.

Shitler, Adolf Orange, history’s itch,
With all the delusion and none of the pitch.
Agent Orange, poisoning discourse and debate,
Yearns to smash courts and rid the charade.

Cheeto in Chief, reality’s blight,
Turning facts into fear in the cold Foxlight.
Velveeta Voldemort, cheesed-off and grim,
Casting bad spells with words that really don’t swim.

Barron Von Grabbersnatch, crude to the core,
Grabbing headlines like he grabs the decor.
Donnie Gump, slow-footed and frail,
A Forrest with lawsuits hot on his tail.

Kim Jong Buffoon, chest puffed and sore,
Still feeling important while others laughed more.
He posed with his finger like some war-time sage,
But history booked him as sideshow, not stage.

Drowsie Donnie, asleep on parade,
As the tanks rolled past in a vacant charade.
The jester in chief, the courtroom nap champ,
While subpoenas and fines stack like gas at a camp.

Little Squeaky Tank Man, Churchill cosplay,
Grimacing hard but wilting away.

He mimicked the greats while history watched—
A poundshop Nero, bloated and botched.
So Musk and The Felon, the Fart and The Stink,
A bromance of chaos in digital ink.

They dreamed of empires, of rule by decree,
But ended as memes in democracy’s feed.
So flush what's untrue, let justice restart—
And mark this disgrace with an Ode to the Fart.

© Gary's Soapbox 20th June 2025

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Gary's Soapbox Comment:
This piece isn’t just satire—it’s a civic fart in the face of authoritarian cosplay. Trump and Musk’s toxic bromance has polluted politics, discourse, and social media with hubris, hate, and hot air. If democracy matters, then we must keep mocking, fact-checking, and flushing. Never let a fart disguise itself as a founding father.

California Wins Temporary Legal Battle Over Trump’s National Guard Takeover

In a damning blow to Donald Trump’s blatant abuse of power, a federal judge has ordered the former president to return control of the California National Guard to Governor Gavin Newsom. The order follows a temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer on June 12, 2025, concluding that Trump’s actions were not only unconstitutional but illegal, at this early stage.

Background

In late May 2025, Trump unilaterally federalised around 4,000 California National Guard troops and deployed 700 U.S. Marines in Los Angeles under Title 10 authority. This militarised response came in the wake of nationwide protests triggered by aggressive federal immigration raids. Trump’s move to seize control of California’s Guard—without the consent of Governor Newsom—was immediately challenged by the state as a violation of states’ rights.

The Court’s Decision

Judge Breyer's ruling was crystal clear. He wrote:

“At this early stage of the proceedings, the Court must determine whether the President followed the congressionally mandated procedure for his actions. He did not… His actions were illegal—both exceeding the scope of his statutory authority and violating the Tenth Amendment… He must therefore return control of the California National Guard… forthwith.”

Breyer emphasised that while federal forces may protect federal property, the use of the National Guard as a domestic police force without state approval amounts to unlawful militarisation. He warned that unchecked executive power “evoked the founders’ fear of a monarchy.”

Not a Final Ruling

It’s important to note: this is not a final legal victory. The judge issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO), not a permanent injunction. The federal government has already filed an appeal, and the case will continue. A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for June 20, 2025, and could result in either a firmer legal block or a reversal.

No other judge previously ruled that Trump’s deployment was lawful. This is the first judicial response to the crisis, and it sets the tone for the legal battle ahead.

Immediate Impact

The TRO takes effect at noon Pacific Time on Friday, June 13, 2025, requiring Trump’s federal forces to stand down and allowing Governor Newsom to regain full command of California’s National Guard. Whether this holds depends on the next stage of the legal process.

Wider Implications

This ruling sends a stark message: the president is not above the law. He cannot override the Constitution to impose military force on states that don’t bend to his will. Legal experts hail this decision as a powerful reaffirmation of democratic checks and balances, state sovereignty, and the rule of law — but it’s far from over.

Gary's Soapbox Comment: This wasn’t just an overreach—it was an authoritarian power grab, plain and simple. Trump treated the National Guard like his own private militia, deployed to crush dissent and intimidate political opponents. It’s exactly the kind of behaviour the Founding Fathers warned against. Judge Breyer called it what it was: illegal. Trump’s dictatorial aspirations need to be combated at every turn or this could slide into something far worse.

The Truth About Paid Protestors: Claims, Facts, and Misinformation

 

What's Being Claimed?

Across social media platforms, supporters of Donald Trump have been sharing a now-debunked Craigslist ad as alleged proof that the protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids were made up of "paid agitators." Some claim that these individuals are being funded by left-wing or Democratic-affiliated organisations to stir unrest, destabilise Trump's presidency, and provoke federal intervention.

One comment said:

"These are paid agitators. We have seen this before. Trump knows this. They have already discovered the groups paying these people."

But is there any truth to this?

The Craigslist Ad: Fact-Checked

The infamous ad offering $6,500–$12,500 per week for “tough badasses” was not a covert recruitment scheme—it was a prank.

• Origin: Posted by Joey LaFleur, co-host of a prank podcast Goofcon1.

• Intent: Meant as satire, not activism or insurrection.

• Timing: Uploaded the day before protests began in LA.

• Verified by: Associated Press, WRAL, and multiple outlets.

The ad was later repackaged by pro-Trump commentators as evidence of organised, paid protest efforts. But this is misinformation.

Are Any Groups Paying Protestors?

To date, no credible evidence has surfaced showing that individuals were paid to agitate or commit violence in the LA protests.

• No verified payments, contracts, or insider reports have been found.

• No law enforcement claims have supported these allegations.

• Senator Josh Hawley has opened a probe into the nonprofit CHIRLA, but so far no wrongdoing has been discovered. CHIRLA states it funds legal observers, not agitators.

Even though some nonprofits receive government grants, there is no documented link between this funding and any unlawful behaviour.

What About Trump and Paid Provocation?

There is no evidence whatsoever that Donald Trump or his associates have funded violent protests to justify invoking the Insurrection Act. However, there are some historical and rhetorical precedents worth noting:

• Trump has repeatedly suggested that outside groups are responsible for violence at protests.

• During the 2020 protests, Trump and his allies made similar claims about "Antifa thugs," but federal investigations found no organised nationwide funding of agitators.

• Authoritarian playbooks have historically used false threats of unrest to justify a crackdown. There is concern Trump may exploit fabricated threats to trigger the Insurrection Act.

Why These Claims Are Dangerous

Unfounded claims of "paid rioters" are not harmless speculation:

• They serve to delegitimise grassroots protest.

• They create false justification for military deployment.

• They contribute to deep political polarisation.

Without evidence, these accusations are nothing more than conspiracy theories—used to distract, inflame, and provoke.

Gary’s Soapbox Comment

There is no confirmed evidence that any group—left, right, or otherwise—is paying people to riot in Los Angeles. The Craigslist ad was a prank. The political narrative built on it is fiction.

If Trump or his supporters use this misinformation to justify invoking the Insurrection Act, it will not be a response to chaos—it will be a manipulation of it.

The Badass Craigslist Fiction Touted As Fact

 

When a Prank Becomes Propaganda

A bizarre Craigslist ad offering $6,500–$12,500 per week for "the toughest badasses in the city" recently went viral—and not for the reasons its creators intended. The ad, which called for individuals who "face danger head-on" and claimed they would be "activated when the situation demands it," was posted in the general labour section for Los Angeles and framed like a recruitment call for urban combat.

On the surface, it sounded like a secret paramilitary operation or the plot of a dystopian thriller. But it was neither.

The Reality: A Podcast Prank

Joey LaFleur, co-host of the prank show and podcast Goofcon1, later confirmed that the ad was part of a live stunt. In their third episode, he and his co-host Logan Quiroz called people who responded to the ad and laughed through the absurdity of it all. The show had no connection to political protests, riots, or organised unrest. The ad was posted on Thursday, before any immigration protest began in Los Angeles.

“I literally had no idea it was ever going to be connected to the riots. It was a really weird coincidence,” said Joey LaFleur, who posted the ad on Craigslist.

The ad was developed as part of a new prank show called Goofcon1, said LaFleur, who hosts the podcast with Logan Quiroz. On their show Friday, the day protests began, they spoke live on the phone with people who responded during Goofcon1’s third episode. LaFleur noted during the episode that he also posted a more “militaristic” version of the ad in Craigslist’s Austin section, but didn’t get many responses.

LaFleur himself later posted on Instagram: "Accidentally goofed the entire nation on the latest @goofcon1." In another post, he joked about ending up on Newsmax.

But what started as satire was quickly weaponised.

How It Was Repackaged as Fact

The Craigslist ad was picked up and posted as real by various Trump-aligned influencers, including news anchor Christina Aguayo. On her Facebook channel, under the branding Christina Aguayo News, she posted:

"Craigslist ADs paying people $6,500 to $12,500 per week to be 'tough bad*sses' in Los Angeles. This isn’t for everyone."

She gave no context that it was a joke or a prank. No fact-check. No update when the ad was debunked. And no acknowledgement that the post was feeding a dangerous misinformation cycle.

The Facts, Cross-Checked

• Source: Joey LaFleur, Goofcon1 podcast

• Purpose: Comedy and prank experiment

• Timeline: Posted before LA protests began

• Verification: Confirmed by the Associated Press and WRAL

• Current status: Shared widely as disinformation among Trump supporters

Why This Matters

False claims about paid protesters have long been used to discredit legitimate political dissent. In 2020, similar stories were used to delegitimise Black Lives Matter protests. Now, in 2025, that tactic is resurfacing.

In this case, the prank ad is being cited by Trump supporters as evidence of an orchestrated leftist insurrection—fuel for Trump’s ongoing narrative of chaos and justification for bringing in federal troops.

Christina Aguayo: Bias and Misrepresentation

Christina Aguayo, a presenter affiliated with Salem News Channel, has a history of amplifying conservative talking points. Her Facebook feed contains largely pro-Trump messaging, often lacking source transparency or corrections.

By presenting the Craigslist ad without context and continuing to leave it up after its debunking, Aguayo effectively contributed to the spread of false information. She failed the basic journalistic responsibility to fact-check, update, or clarify.

Gary’s Soapbox Comment

This isn’t just sloppy journalism—it’s reckless. A prank ad, clearly meant for laughs, gets picked up and repackaged as evidence of a left-wing plot. Trump supporters are using this fiction to justify talk of military intervention. It nudges Trump closer to invoking the Insurrection Act—a power that’s already been floated far too casually. This is how democracies degrade: not with grand declarations, but with lies repeated often enough to feel true.

Strangely, the language in the ad—"badasses," "high-risk," "no room for hesitation"—reflects exactly the kind of tough-guy image Trump likes to project. Yet Trump, a man who dodged the draft and avoids conflict unless surrounded by loyalists, is more reminiscent of a school bully: loud with his gang behind him, but the bravado fades when he's alone. That this ad unintentionally mirrored his bluster and then got used to validate his narrative is either a surreal coincidence or a cautionary tale about how fast fiction becomes political weaponry. A prank ad, clearly meant for laughs, gets picked up and repackaged as evidence of a left-wing plot. Trump supporters are using this fiction to justify talk of military intervention. It nudges Trump closer to invoking the Insurrection Act—a power that’s already been floated far too casually. This is how democracies degrade: not with grand declarations, but with lies repeated often enough to feel true.

Trump did Nothing Wrong - The Truth Behind The Los Angeles Federal Troop Deployment

 

A factual analysis of the June 2025 protests in Los Angeles, Trumps federal troop deployments, and the legal and political fallout

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In June 2025, large-scale protests erupted across Los Angeles following controversial ICE raids in cities like Compton and Paramount. As the situation escalated, President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of over 4,000 National Guard troops and an additional 700 U.S. Marines to the city. This marked the first time since the civil rights era that a U.S. president sent military forces into a state without the governor's request or consent.

The move sparked significant legal and political backlash. Critics questioned not only the necessity but also the legality of such a deployment, while supporters pointed to claims that local law enforcement was overwhelmed. One assertion was that "Trump did nothing wrong; their own police commissioner said they were overwhelmed."

But what actually happened?

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LAPD’s Actual Response

Chief Jim McDonnell of the Los Angeles Police Department gave several media briefings during the height of the protests. In one of them, he addressed concerns about federal involvement:

"We're also aware of reports that the President intends or has deployed US Marines to Los Angeles. The introduction of federal military personnel without direct coordination creates logistical challenges and risks confusion during critical incidents. The LA Police Department, alongside our mutual aid partners, have decades of experience managing large-scale public demonstrations, and we remain confident in our ability to do so professionally and effectively."

In another briefing, McDonnell explained the local process for escalating law enforcement support:

"We deal with that with LAPD resources. When we need additional resources, we reach out to the sheriff, who brings in mutual aid. We have 14 different agencies working with us for that purpose. Only if we weren't able to continue to deal with that and needed additional help would we reach out to the sheriff who would request National Guard from the Governor."

Nowhere in McDonnell’s public remarks did he explicitly state that LAPD had failed to manage the situation or that they welcomed federal military intervention. In fact, his comments strongly imply the opposite: that the LAPD had systems in place and coordination underway with state and local partners.

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Legal Authority and California’s Response

The deployment raised constitutional questions. Typically, the President can only send federal troops into a U.S. state under strict legal conditions:

• If the state governor requests assistance

• Or if the Insurrection Act is invoked in response to rebellion, lawlessness, or obstruction of federal law

In this case, Governor Gavin Newsom did not request assistance. He had already activated the California National Guard and was coordinating with local law enforcement.

On June 9, 2025, the State of California, led by Governor Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta, filed a federal lawsuit challenging the deployment. The suit argued that Trump had unlawfully federalised the National Guard, violating the Tenth Amendment and the principles of state sovereignty.

A subsequent emergency motion sought a temporary injunction to halt further deployments, citing the risk of operational confusion and the absence of a clear legal foundation.

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Media Reporting vs. Verifiable Statements

Some news outlets reported that LAPD was "overwhelmed," quoting anonymous sources or summarising McDonnell’s remarks. However, there is no publicly available video showing McDonnell using that exact term. The closest phrase—"this thing has gotten out of control"—was used in a broader context about protest escalation and logistics, not as an endorsement of Trump’s military response.

This distinction matters. Summaries and headlines often misrepresent the tone and intent of live statements. McDonnell’s actual words reflect a department managing a difficult situation, not one that had collapsed or invited federal military support.

Conclusion – Gary's Soapbox Comment

Deploying federal troops into a state without its consent sets a dangerous precedent. While Trump’s actions may have stayed within a narrow legal interpretation of Title 10, they clearly disregarded the norms of federal-state cooperation.

Chief McDonnell never asked for help from the President, nor did he suggest the LAPD had lost control. Quite the opposite—he highlighted existing coordination mechanisms and cautioned against the confusion caused by an uncoordinated federal force.

Slogans like "Trump did nothing wrong" may play well in comment sections, but they collapse under scrutiny. The facts show a president acting unilaterally in a situation the state was actively managing. California’s lawsuit isn’t a political stunt—it’s a defence of constitutional boundaries.

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Project 2025: Trumps Blueprint to Make America Great Again or Path to Dictatorship?

Introduction

In April 2023, the Heritage Foundation unveiled Project 2025, a sprawling 900-page manifesto designed to reshape the federal government from the inside out. Framed as a "presidential transition project," it was intended to prepare a future Republican administration—presumably under Donald Trump—with a ready-made plan to deconstruct and reconstruct American governance. Now, with Trump having reclaimed the White House in 2024, Project 2025 has morphed from blueprint to reality. The question is no longer if it will be implemented, but how far it will go, and what it means for democracy.

What Has Already Been Implemented?
Since Trump's return to office in January 2025, his administration has rapidly executed substantial portions of the Project 2025 agenda:

• Civil Service Overhaul: The reinstatement of Schedule F has allowed the purging of thousands of career civil servants, effectively replacing neutral bureaucrats with partisan loyalists. A newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has enacted sweeping layoffs and job freezes, gutting regulatory agencies from within.

• Climate and Environmental Deregulation: The U.S. has once again withdrawn from the Paris Climate Agreement. The EPA has faced crippling budget cuts and has seen the rollback of dozens of Obama-era regulations. National monument protections have been reduced, and FEMA's flood insurance programme is on the chopping block.

• Leadership Realignment: Key Project 2025 architects like Russ Vought, John Ratcliffe, and Peter Navarro have been installed in influential positions. The personnel strategy is a central pillar of the project—"personnel is policy"—and this has now been fully embraced.

• Executive Orders and Legal Restructuring: Trump has signed over three dozen executive orders that directly align with Project 2025's objectives, including curbing the powers of the Department of Justice, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Merit Systems Protection Board.

• Detention and Deportation Infrastructure: The Department of Homeland Security has begun mass detentions and deportations, with reports emerging of makeshift camps operating in remote locations with little oversight. Human rights organisations have raised alarms, likening the facilities to early-stage concentration camps. Multiple whistleblowers claim detainees have gone missing, with no records of where they were transferred, if at all. Legal experts argue that many of these deportations violate constitutional protections and international human rights standards.

• Targeting of Judicial and Political Dissent: Trump and his allies have increasingly used threats and intimidation against judges, governors, and political opponents. Public statements warning officials not to "get in the way" have been accompanied by loosely veiled promises of legal action or arrest. While blatantly unconstitutional, these tactics have gone largely unchecked, spreading a climate of fear across all branches of governance.

What’s Ongoing?
The implementation is far from over. Major components of Project 2025 are actively being executed:

• Dismantling the Department of Education: Funding is being slashed, and responsibilities are being devolved to the states. Conservative curriculum reforms are underway, echoing Christian nationalist experiments already piloted in states like Oklahoma.

• Privatisation Push: From public lands to federal buildings and even education vouchers, the administration is pushing a neoliberal agenda of mass privatisation.

• State-Level Testbeds: Project-aligned states are acting as laboratories for federal policies. In Oklahoma, religious charter schools, Bible-centric curricula, and police-embedded classrooms are already being normalised.

• Expansion of Detention Camps: The administration is rapidly expanding detention facilities. These are becoming flashpoints for protest activity across the country. Footage and testimonies of abuse, poor conditions, and legal black holes have begun circulating online, fuelling both outrage and direct action.

What’s Next?
Looking ahead, the following steps appear imminent:

• Expanded Use of Schedule F: This policy will be used to grant Trump broader authority to purge dissenters and expand loyalist control.

• Deconstruction of Independent Agencies: Project 2025 explicitly targets so-called "deep state" institutions. Next up are the Federal Reserve, CDC, and even the National Institutes of Health.

• Insurrection Act Preparation?: Many observers warn of a darker trajectory. Trump's framing of opposition protests as domestic terrorism may lay the groundwork for invoking the Insurrection Act, potentially granting him near-martial powers.

Public Resistance and Protest Movements
Protests against Project 2025's implementation have erupted in major cities, with more planned throughout the summer. Civil rights groups, climate activists, federal worker unions, and educational advocates are mobilising against what they see as a hostile takeover of American institutions. Organisers have warned that attempts to suppress dissent through force will only escalate tensions.

The deportations and camps are becoming the rallying cry of a new protest movement. From student groups to religious leaders, a broad coalition is demanding the immediate release of detainees and transparency on who has disappeared. In several cities, demonstrations have turned violent, escalated by aggressive federal crackdowns, raising fears that this unrest could be used to justify invoking the Insurrection Act.

International Reaction
European allies have expressed unease at the U.S.'s democratic backsliding. NATO members fear American disengagement, while human rights watchdogs are sounding alarms about authoritarian drift. As Trump tightens his grip, the U.S. risks international isolation and diminished global credibility.

Gary’s Soapbox Comment
Let’s not beat around the bush: this isn't just about bureaucracy. Trump is testing the limits of legality to provoke unrest—deliberately. Why? Because chaos is the perfect smokescreen. If the streets erupt, Trump can claim emergency powers, invoke the Insurrection Act, and turn the United States into a de facto dictatorship. Kamala Harris was right when she warned: he will send the military after you. His endgame isn't smaller government or Christian values—it's control. The plan is laid out in black and white in Project 2025. And if we're not careful, that document won’t just be a political manifesto—it’ll be a user manual for Trump’s rise to Dictator.

Parallels in Power: Hitler's Rise and Trump’s Project 2025

Introduction In assessing contemporary threats to democracy, historical parallels offer valuable insight. While no two regimes are identical, structural comparisons reveal patterns of authoritarian consolidation. This blog examines Adolf Hitler’s rise to totalitarian control in 1933–1934 alongside Donald Trump’s recent actions, particularly in relation to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. This isn’t a comparison of genocidal atrocities but of the political mechanisms used to erode checks and balances.

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1. Emergency Powers & Erosion of Legal Boundaries

🔶 Hitler: Reichstag Fire Decree (Feb 1933)

• Suspended key civil liberties (speech, privacy, assembly).

• Justified mass arrests and political repression under the guise of public safety.

🔸 Trump: Military Deployment Without State Approval (June 2025)

• Deployed 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles without California’s consent.

• Invoked Title 10, Section 12406 of the U.S. Code, bypassing governors' authority; Governor Newsom launched legal action. 

• Legal scholars argue this manoeuvre undermines federalism and sets a precedent for unilateral use of force.

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2. Legal Restructuring & Executive Overreach

🔶 Hitler: Enabling Act (March 1933)

• Empowered Hitler to enact laws without parliamentary approval.

• Dismantled constitutional democracy from within.

🔸 Trump: Project 2025 Blueprint

• Nearly 900-page document that restructures executive power under the 'unitary executive theory.'

• Proposes mass removal of career civil servants and installation of political loyalists.

• Seeks to dismantle or override regulatory agencies and judicial independence.

• Enables the President to take broad, unchecked executive actions from Day 1.

• Parallels include: placing agencies like Justice, FBI, DHS under full presidential control; replicating Hitler's dismantling of democratic checks.

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3. Neutralising Opponents & Weakening Judicial Oversight

🔶 Hitler: Night of the Long Knives (June 1934)

• Purged rivals (SA leadership) to secure loyalty of the army and suppress dissent.

🔸 Trump: Mass Pardons and Legal Weaponisation

• Pardoned over 1,500 January 6 rioters including extremist leaders like Enrique Tarrio and Stewart Rhodes.

• DOJ under his administration is dropping pending prosecutions and threatening disbarment of opposing counsel.

• A "Weaponization Working Group" has been established to investigate and possibly sanction federal prosecutors.

• Critics warn this undermines prosecutorial independence and embeds political retribution.

• Project 2025 promotes ideological loyalty across the judiciary, weakening institutional independence.

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4. Militarisation of Civil Society

🔶 Hitler: SA and SS as Tools of Political Terror

• Intimidated, assaulted, and eliminated political enemies under a veneer of legality.

🔸 Trump: Domestic Troop Mobilisation and Authoritarian Drift

• First president since the Civil War to deploy military to a US city against the wishes of local government.

• Allegedly manufacturing crises to justify escalation of domestic military presence.

• Legal analysts warn of a potential pretext for invoking the Insurrection Act.

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5. Institutional Control and Cult of Loyalty

🔶 Hitler: Centralised State, Loyalty Oaths, Combined Presidency & Chancellorship

• Merged institutions and concentrated absolute power in one individual.

🔸 Trump: Project 2025 and Loyalty Infrastructure

• Plans to override checks by placing loyalists in all departments.

• Establishes mechanisms for legal retaliation against dissenters and political critics.

• Celebrates convicted insurrectionists as patriots, reframing lawbreaking as civic virtue.

• Project 2025 includes Christian nationalist reorientation of state power—a cultural and ideological realignment.

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6. Undermining Bureaucratic Neutrality

🔶 Nazi Germany: Elimination of Independent Civil Service

• Independent state officials were purged and replaced with ideologues.

🔸 Project 2025: Bureaucratic Capture

• Proposes the elimination of merit-based hiring.

• Civil servants would be replaced by ideologically aligned appointees.

• A classic authoritarian strategy designed to suppress dissent within the machinery of state.

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7. Control of Reproductive and Personal Freedoms

🔶 Nazi Germany: Abortion Ban and Eugenics (1933)

• Enforced population control to push demographic agendas.

🔸 Project 2025: Pro-life Mandates

• Envisions criminalisation of abortion and limitations on contraception and pregnancy care.

• Embeds personal freedom restrictions into federal policy.

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8. Populist and Polarising Rhetoric

🔶 Hitler: Nationalist Salvation Messaging

• Positioned himself as the saviour from elite betrayal.

🔸 Trump: "America First" Culture Wars

• Framed as a war against the "deep state," elite institutions, and cultural subversion.

• Mobilises identity-based divisions and weaponises grievance politics.

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9. Symbolism and Ideological Signalling

🔶 Nazi Salutes: Performative Loyalty

• Physical gestures like the "Sieg Heil" symbolised submission to authoritarian rule.

🔸 Elon Musk's Controversial Salute (2025)

• At a Trump rally, Musk performed a straight-arm salute compared by observers to the Nazi "Sieg Heil."

• Historians, European leaders, and Musk’s own daughter called it a fascist gesture.

• Though Musk denied intent, far-right groups adopted the moment as symbolic validation.

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Conclusion: Gary's Soapbox Comment This isn’t hyperbole—it’s a roadmap. Trump’s actions since his re-election, combined with Project 2025’s structure, reflect calculated attempts to centralise power, crush institutional resistance, and enforce a radical ideological agenda. When billionaires perform fascist-era salutes and insurrectionists become martyrs, we are no longer speculating about danger—we are living through it. Democracy may not die in darkness, but in broad daylight, enabled by courts, cheered by crowds, and justified with law.

Cult of Personality? The USDA Trump Banner and its Authoritarian Echoes

In May 2025, a striking banner featuring the portrait of Donald Trump was hung on the front of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) headquarters in Washington, D.C. The massive image of Trump, positioned next to a banner of Abraham Lincoln—the USDA’s founder—was intended to mark the department’s 163rd anniversary. Instead, it triggered widespread public backlash and sparked comparisons to authoritarian propaganda.

A Creeping Cult of Personality?

The display drew immediate reactions on social media and in the press. Critics dubbed the image "deeply creepy" and reminiscent of Big Brother, evoking George Orwell’s dystopian 1984. Comparisons were also made to historical regimes where a leader’s image was omnipresent in public life, most notably Adolf Hitler in Nazi Germany.

In 1930s and 40s Germany, after Hitler came to power, his portrait became a staple in public buildings—schools, government offices, police stations, and even private businesses. The goal was clear: create a single focal point of loyalty and obedience in the form of the leader. The USDA banner, hung on a federal agency’s building, echoed this tactic, intentionally or otherwise.

Beyond the USDA

The Agriculture Department banner isn’t the first time Donald Trump has embraced grand visual displays of his image:

• Trump International Hotel & Tower, Chicago (2014): Trump installed a massive stainless-steel sign bearing his name, which faced criticism for its size and self-aggrandising tone.

• St. John’s Church Photo Op (2020): During protests near the White House, law enforcement forcibly cleared Lafayette Square so Trump could stage a photo holding a Bible outside St. John’s Church—an act widely condemned as authoritarian imagery for political theatre.

These instances illustrate a pattern: the deliberate use of Trump’s image and brand in public and symbolic ways that elevate his persona, often above institutions.

A Warning from History

History shows that when leaders become the focus of national symbolism, democratic norms are often at risk. The Nazi regime’s reliance on Hitler’s image was not simply aesthetic; it was a mechanism of control and conformity. By making the leader omnipresent, the regime positioned loyalty to a person over loyalty to laws or democratic principles.

The USDA banner, whether a harmless tribute or a strategic move, fits into a concerning trajectory. While Trump has not mandated portraits of himself in every school or office, the use of public spaces to elevate his image mirrors tactics seen in undemocratic states.

Soapbox Opinion

Both Donald Trump and his close ally J.D. Vance have expressed authoritarian-leaning views, often praising or admiring strongmen like Vladimir Putin—not out of personal affection, but because they envy the unchecked power such leaders wield. Their rhetoric and actions reveal a desire for the kind of system where dissent is muted, opposition is crushed, and decisions go unquestioned.

Symbols matter. When government buildings become backdrops for political glorification, it's not just decoration—it’s messaging. The USDA banner controversy serves as a reminder: democracies must remain vigilant against the creeping influence of authoritarian-style propaganda, even when it comes cloaked in patriotic colours.