The man who attempted a coup in 2020 and incited a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol now claims there’s an “uprising” in Los Angeles. There isn’t. What we’re witnessing is another manufactured crisis — one designed to justify an unnecessary show of military force for the sake of optics, not safety.
Donald Trump doesn’t care whether deploying troops is justified. He doesn’t care how many people are injured or killed. For him, the theater of domination is the point. It’s a bully’s bluff — power through intimidation, not legitimacy.
But like most bullies, Trump is a coward. After years of perceived humiliations — whether from the courts, academia, political rivals, or business leaders — he lashes out not at his equals, but at those least able to fight back. He has now turned that fury inward, targeting Americans in states like California, where he is deeply unpopular.
This crisis was not organic. It was engineered. Historically, federal troops have been deployed to protect civil rights and preserve order when states failed to do so. That’s not the case here. California’s own leaders say federal force is unnecessary.
Let’s be clear: Trump and his enablers thrive on chaos. Their strategy is always the same — stoke fear, create desperation, chip away at the rule of law, and unleash violence under the guise of order.
Civilization depends on resisting that kind of brutality. A healthy society protects the vulnerable and restrains the powerful — not the other way around.
It’s our duty as citizens to hold power to account. To speak out when fear is weaponized. And above all, to reject the politics of cruelty masquerading as strength.
Kim A. Fowler, Orem
Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible