Martial Law in the Mirror?
Trump’s Escalation in Los Angeles Is a Warning, Not a Drill
This is not a moment for silence or wishful thinking. What we are seeing unfold in Los Angeles is not just another Trumpian stunt—it is a calculated escalation toward authoritarian control, using chaos as the pretext and the military, or militarized force, as the solution.
This week, following what Trump called “lawless anarchy” in L.A., federal agents were dispatched without coordination with local authorities. Curfews were imposed with little notice. National Guard units were seen in parts of the city normally managed by local police. Trump is now floating the idea of federal “oversight” of city operations until “order is restored.”
Let’s call this what it is: a test run for martial law, cloaked in the language of public safety.
This Is the Authoritarian Playbook
Step 1: Stoke fear.
Step 2: Provoke unrest or exaggerate instability.
Step 3: Declare the existing government unable to protect its people.
Step 4: Step in with “extraordinary powers” for “emergency” reasons.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve seen it before—in countries that fell into dictatorship, not democracy.
We are dangerously close to a turning point. The Insurrection Act is still on the books. The courts are stacked. The DOJ has been hollowed out and repurposed to serve Trump’s interests. And the silence from most Republican lawmakers isn’t just complicity—it’s collaboration.
This Is Not Just About Los Angeles
If Trump can do this in L.A., he can do it in Atlanta. Or Chicago. Or Philadelphia. All it takes is one “emergency” and one executive order. It doesn’t have to be lawful. It just has to be allowed.
And the public, worn down by years of outrage fatigue, might shrug—unless we name it for what it is and organize accordingly.
This is not theoretical. This is right now.
What You Can Do Today
- Call your representatives—especially state governors and AGs. Demand they push back on unauthorized federal overreach.
- Support watchdogs and journalists on the ground in L.A. Share real-time footage, not sanitized headlines.
- Talk to your community—your friends, family, neighbors. Authoritarianism relies on disbelief and division. Don’t let it fester.
- Refuse to normalize this. It’s not just Trump being “Trump.” It’s the unraveling of the democratic fabric—and it’s speeding up!
Final Word
If you think this sounds alarmist, ask yourself: When, in history, has authoritarian power been handed back peacefully?
The time to be alarmed is now. The time to act is now. Because if we wait until tanks are in the streets and media is silenced, it will be too late.
Democracy is not a spectator sport. Get in the game.
Julie Bolejack, MBA
