🔥 🔥He Used the Troops as a Weapon
This wasn’t patriotism. It was a blueprint for authoritarianism.
The Gist:
Trump’s June 10 speech at Fort Bragg wasn’t just inappropriate—it was dangerous. He politicized the military, threatened domestic deployment, and promised to restore Confederate base names. As a veteran, I’m sounding the alarm: this was not patriotism. It was a warning sign of authoritarianism.
When a president uses a military birthday to threaten his own people, rewrite history, and criminalize protest, that’s not leadership—it’s a warning shot.
On June 10, 2025, Donald Trump stood onstage at Fort Bragg—now Fort Liberty, renamed to honor progress and unity—and turned a 250th Army anniversary into something else entirely: a political performance soaked in grievance and threat. What should have been a day of remembrance and respect for service became a dangerous display of authoritarian ambition.
And if you’ve ever served—or ever cared about the country those uniforms protect—you should be paying attention.
⚖️ A Commander Who Crossed the Line
The military is supposed to be apolitical. That’s not just a talking point—it’s a founding principle. George Washington warned us not to let standing armies be used for political purposes. Every modern defense secretary has echoed the same thing: our troops answer to the Constitution, not to one man.
But that’s not what Trump did.
He used soldiers as a backdrop for a campaign rally. He wrapped inflammatory rhetoric in military celebration. That’s not honoring service—that’s hijacking it.
The military is not a prop. And it sure as hell isn’t a weapon to aim at your own people.
🏛️ He’s Not Enforcing the Law—He’s Bending It
Trump deployed 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles—not at the governor’s request, but over his objection. That matters.
Why? Because of a law called the Posse Comitatus Act, which is supposed to limit the federal government’s use of military force on U.S. soil. Unless there’s a true insurrection or a breakdown of civil authority—and that has to be declared, legally and publicly—troops don’t get used against civilians.
Newsom didn’t request help. The protests were tense, but they weren’t an insurrection. And yet, Trump acted like he was sending in forces to recapture Fallujah.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t about restoring order. It was about making a point.
🕳️ Long-Term Damage No One’s Talking About
What happens when the public starts seeing troops as an extension of a political party? What happens when soldiers are caught between their oath and a president who plays fast and loose with the law?
Trust erodes. Unity fractures. Service members get used and discarded, and the public starts fearing the very people who are supposed to defend them.
I’ve seen what happens when trust between the government and its people breaks down. That’s how HadIt.com started. Veterans were being lied to, ignored, and left behind. And I promised I’d never stay silent again.
🧨 This Wasn’t Just a Speech
Trump called protesters “animals.” Claimed they were funded by Democrats and sent by foreign enemies. Said burning a flag should land you in prison for a year. And then he promised to rename bases like Fort Liberty back to their Confederate names.
That’s not strong leadership. That’s a page out of the authoritarian playbook:
Dehumanize dissent.
Use the military as a show of force.
Rewrite history to suit your agenda.
We’ve seen it before—in other countries, in darker times. We’re not immune.
🏛️ Democracy Doesn’t Defend Itself. We Do.
I served this country. I’ve lost sleep, health, and peace of mind because of that service. But I don’t regret it. Because I believed in the Constitution I swore to protect.
That oath didn’t end when I took off the uniform.
If we normalize what Trump did at Fort Bragg—if we let it go unchallenged—we’re not just weakening the military. We’re unraveling the very democracy those troops are supposed to defend.
✊ Final Thought
This isn’t about party. It’s about principle.
If you care about the Constitution, if you care about the people who serve, if you care about this country, then this moment matters.
And if you’re still not sure what to make of it all, let me leave you with this:
A commander-in-chief who uses soldiers as shields for his own power isn’t protecting America. He’s preparing it for something far worse.
💬 Enjoyed this piece? Support Tbird’s Quiet Fight
If you believe in the work of holding power accountable—especially when it threatens our veterans, our democracy, and the values we swore to protect—please consider becoming a subscriber: