Why Trump's invasion of Portland is textbook fascism

The president has found his brownshirts

President Trump.
(Image credit: Illustrated | Getty Images, iStock)

President Trump has settled on a tactic for his re-election campaign, it seems: stoking violence in American cities. Portland was the first victim, but there will be others. Already forces from Customs and Border Protection — who have become a de facto Trumpist paramilitary squad — are being sent to cities like Albuquerque and Chicago.

The obvious intended purpose is stir up disorder and unrest so that Trump can run as the candidate of "law and order." This is, plainly and simply, a classic tactic of fascism.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Ryan Cooper

Ryan Cooper is a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. His work has appeared in the Washington Monthly, The New Republic, and the Washington Post.