Trump’s ‘radical left’ lie is about enabling an authoritarian slide

Authoritarianism doesn’t begin with tanks in the streets– it often begins with a story. We break down a dangerous new disinformation campaign from the White House designed to turn “radical left violence” from a talking point into a political weapon. Donald Trump is using a manufactured narrative of crime to justify sweeping power grabs, including deploying the National Guard to Democratic-led cities, threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act, and labeling critics, including journalists and Democratic mayors, as enemies. It’s a tactic straight from the authoritarian playbook, now being weaponized to dismantle civil infrastructure.