Border Blitz and Buffoonery
Trump Floats Drone Strikes on Mexico and Invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807
What do the Mexican cartel and the Insurrection Act of 1807 have to do with each other? Seemingly nothing. Leave it up to the buffoonery within the Trump Administration to find a way to link the two in the most outrageous way possible.
Potential Drone Strikes on the Mexican Cartel
As if things couldn’t get more absurd, the Trump Administration is floating the option of using drone strikes on Mexican cartels and their assets in Mexico. When asked about the possibility of drone strikes, both Ronald Johnson, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that “all cards are on the table.”
While the administration hopes to work in cooperation with the Mexican government, using a unilateral approach is being considered as a last resort. Arturo Sarukhán, Mexico’s ambassador to the United States responded to the reports by saying, “There is no doubt if there were unilateral action inside Mexico, this would put the bilateral relationship into a nosedive.” In reference to U.S. and Mexico relations, he added, “It would be put in a tailspin, as it would represent a violation of international law and an act of war.” In addition, almost 200,000 people in Mexico work for the cartel, and live in populated areas. This would make civilian casualties a certainty.
Shortly after his inauguration, Trump labeled the Mexican cartels “foreign terrorist organizations” to justify declaring a national emergency at the southern border. According to the Brennan Center, emergency powers unlock as many as 123 statutory authorities that the president can use to address an emergency situation. “Many are measured and sensible, but others seem like the stuff of authoritarian regimes: giving the president the power to take over domestic communications, seize Americans’ bank accounts, and deploy U.S. troops to any foreign country.” Unilaterally attacking Mexico likely doesn’t fall under these powers, and would be an outright act of war.
An Ulterior Motive?
While Trump claims to be addressing an emergency at the southern border, a theory is brewing that he may have an ulterior motive. A far more sinister motive. By declaring a national emergency, it’s believed Trump’s true goal is to seize total authority over the American people. His January 20th executive order declaring a national emergency requires the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland security to submit a joint report on the state of conditions at the southern border, along with recommendations for further actions to gain full control of the border. These recommendations could include invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807.
“Within 90 days of the date of this proclamation, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a joint report to the President about the conditions at the southern border of the United States and any recommendations regarding additional actions that may be necessary to obtain complete operational control of the southern border, including whether to invoke the Insurrection Act of 1807.”
The Insurrection Act of 1807 was last invoked in 1992 by President George H. W. Bush in response to the Los Angeles riots after the acquittal of the police officers who beat Rodney King. April 20th will be the 90-day deadline for the report required by Trump’s executive order, and now 33 years after its last invocation, social media is abuzz with theories that on that date, Trump will invoke The Insurrection Act and declare martial law. They believe he will defend the move as a necessary means to end “the crisis at our southern border” and protect national security. This of course won’t be true, and once martial law is declared, any semblance of our constitutional republic will be gone.
It's also worth noting that April 20th is Adolf Hitler’s birthday.
It’s also Easter AND 4/20. Alleluia! Wake and bake, bro!
But I digress.
I have strong doubts that this scenario will play out. That being said, with Pete Hegseth and Kristi Noem as Trump’ chief advisers, it’s within the realm of possibility and worth exploring.
So, what would things look like if the theory is true, and Trump declares martial law on April 20th? Daniel Hunter, founder of Choose Democracy, participated in a tabletop scenario run by the Brennan Center for Justice centered on just this possibility. Here’s what unfolded:
1. There would likely be enormous protests around the country, dwarfing the ones we’re currently seeing in cites, big and small. The president, now a dictator, would attempt to turn the U.S. military on the American people, labeling protestors as “terrorists” and “leftists” (leftists being anyone who defies him). Dehumanizing the resistance is a common tactic of authoritarians because it makes it easier for those who don’t push back to accept arrests, imprisonments, and the atrocities often committed by authoritarians. If protests turn violent, Trump will use the violence as a “false flag” operation to justify using military force, potentially lethal, on civilians.
2. Trump will likely get push back at various levels of the military, both federal and state, and will instead, deputize right-wing militias like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Remember many of these same “fine people” were on the front lines on January 6 and were just granted pardons by Trump. They’re eager show their gratitude.
3. The courts will likely become ineffectual because, as we’ve already seen, Trump is perfectly comfortable skirting the law. By this point, court orders will mean little. In addition, judges that rule against him will be labeled “activists” and “disloyal.” We saw Trump employ this tactic recently when Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, of the District of Columbia ruled against his deportation flights to El Salvador.
On a positive note, the Brennan Center’s tabletop scenario suggested that Trump’s “actual ability was moderately restrained by a reluctant military and public outrage.” They also point out that we are not powerless. Here’s what we can do:
1. Refusal: There isn’t much the average American can do to prevent the military from obeying Trump’s orders. But, based on a technicality that rules the National Guard can’t be activated twice, Governors can activate their national guards prior to Trump invoking the Insurrection Act. By doing so, the Federal government can’t use them for their own purposes. Governors in Republican states may be reluctant to defy Trump, but Democratically led states like California, New Mexico and Illinois may be likely to do so, thwarting Trump’s control in their states.
2. Resist: As we’ve seen over the past few months, the American people are standing up and resisting. Know your rights, know the law, and then get out there and peacefully exercise your right to free speech. According to Hunter, military officers and law enforcement know little about constitutional rights to protest. “Because of that, we should learn to document, document, document. Video tape everything — for your protection, the inevitable court cases and for stoking public outrage.”
3. Ridicule: People will tune out and disengage if all they hear is complaining and contempt. Humor is important and effective in keeping public morale up and people engaged. It also helps “take fascists down a notch.” As we’ve already seen, the resistance has frequently used ridicule to mock both Donald Trump and Elon Musk. I hear Musk HATES being called “Elmo.”
It remains uncertain if Trump drops bombs on Mexico and declares martial law on the American people. However, what remains a certainty, IS the uncertainty. What’s become abundantly clear is that Trump thrives on chaos and buffoonery.