Should You Be Getting Ready for Civil War? President Trump Is

A CNN news article sounds the alarm (https://wtop.com/government/2020/11/top-pentagon-policy-official-resigns-day-after-trump-fires-defense-secretary/):

"The Trump administration has carried out sweeping changes atop the Defense Department’s civilian leadership structure, removing several of its most senior officials and replacing them with perceived loyalists to the President."

"The flurry of changes, announced by the Department of Defense in a statement roughly 24 hours after President Donald Trump fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper, have put officials inside the Pentagon on edge and fueled a growing sense of alarm among military and civilian officials, who are concerned about what could come next."

"Four senior civilian officials have been fired or have resigned since Monday, including Esper, his chief of staff and the top officials overseeing policy and intelligence. They were replaced by perceived Trump loyalists, including a controversial figure who promoted fringe conspiracy theories and called former President Barack Obama a terrorist."

The question is WHY? Why is Trump making these Department of Defense moves so late in his term, while Joe Biden plans to take over as President in 70 days?

The article gives us a hint:

"Multiple civilian and military officials working inside the Pentagon are raising the question of whether the departure of Esper and other officials will now clear the way for Trump in his final weeks in office to potentially again call for initiatives he wants to pursue that the Pentagon opposes."

"One would be again raising the specter of using active duty forces under the Insurrection Act against any future protests. Another potential raised by officials is he would override the military advice he has been given and bring troops home from Afghanistan by Christmas."

As the article also states, "the Trump administration has already substantially reduced US troops in Afghanistan to about 4,500, the lowest levels since the earliest days of the post 9/11 campaign."

So are of these moves about that small contingent of troops remaining in Afghanistan? Hardly.

The article skimmed right over the real reason:

The Insurrection Act

The Insurrection Act gives U.S. presidents the authority to deploy active duty military to maintain or restore peace in times of crisis.

It gives the President very broad powers in regards to using the National Guard and federal troops (https://policy.defense.gov/portals/11/documents/hdasa/references/insurrection_act.pdf):

Key parts of the Act state:

"Whenever the President considers that unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of the United States, make it impracticable to enforce the laws of the United States in any State by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, he may call into Federal service such of the militia of any State, and use such of the armed forces, as he considers necessary to enforce those laws or to suppress the rebellion."

"The President, by using the militia or the armed forces, or both, or by any other means, shall take such measures as he considers necessary to suppress, in a State, any insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combination, or conspiracy, if it--"

"(1) so hinders the execution of the laws of that State, and of the United States within the State, that any part or class of its people is deprived of a right, privilege, immunity, or protection named in the Constitution and secured by law, and the constituted authorities of that State are unable, fail, or refuse to protect that right, privilege, or immunity, or to give that protection; or"

"(2) opposes or obstructs the execution of the laws of the United States or impedes the course of justice under those laws."

"In any situation covered by clause (1), the State shall be considered to have denied the equal protection of the laws secured by the Constitution."

The Insurrection Act has been invoked throughout American history. In the 19th century, it was invoked during conflicts with Native Americans. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was invoked during labor conflicts. Later in the 20th century, it was used to enforce federally mandated desegregation, with Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy invoking the Act in opposition to the affected states' political leaders to enforce court-ordered desegregation. More recently, governors have requested and received support most recently following looting in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurrection_Act_of_1807#Application)

When a President invokes the Insurrection Act, exactly WHO in the government is responsible for its implemenation?

The Secretary of Defense.

Using the most recent example of a President using the Insurrection Act (https://www.justsecurity.org/70482/the-president-the-military-and-minneapolis-what-you-need-to-know/):

"This authority was invoked in May 1992, when California Governor Pete Wilson turned to the Insurrection Act in requesting federal military assistance from President George H.W. Bush. This was in response to the Los Angeles riots, after a jury acquitted the officers involved in the arrest and beating of Rodney King. In requesting federal troops to patrol Los Angeles, Wilson specified that the California National Guard lacked the ability to quell the domestic disturbance. Shortly thereafter, Bush issued an executive order, which authorized the defense secretary to federalize the California National Guard and deploy active-duty Army and Marine personnel from bases in California to the scenes of the riots."

Former Secretary of Defense Esper defied President Trump earlier this year in regards to the possible use of the Insurrection Act (https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2020/06/esper-opposes-insurrection-act-use/165867/).

This was a blatant act of public insubordination as Esper would be the one to carry out the orders of the Commander In Chief had Trump invoked the Insurrection Act.

There is no other logical explanation for Trump replacing the top ranks of the Department of Defense with loyalists at this point in his Presidency UNLESS he plans on or strongly suspects he will need to invoke the Insurrection Act.

There has not been any violent protests or looting since the Election and the media crowning Joe Biden as President-Elect, and there's no reason to expect that there would be between now and January 20, 2021 UNLESS Donald J. Trump was determined to be the rightful winner of the Presidential Election.

Trump's moves in regards to the Department of Defense are crystal clear in their meaning. The President is VERY confident he will ultimately be the rightful winner of the Election and fully expects the result to be massive civil unrest, perhaps bordering on civil war.

What if Democrat governors, especially in the contested states refuse to accept the outcome, whether it is ultimately decided by the United States Supreme Court, Congress, or Electoral College?

Normally governors are in charge of their state's National Guard units but a VERY important aspect of the Insurrection Act is that it allows the President to federalize any and all National Guard troops. Ultimately in this case, these troops would answer to President Trump, and NOT the governors of say Pennsylvania, Wisconsin or Michigan.

Still these governors could not only allow rioting (as they did this Spring) but actively encourage it, daring President Trump to use National Guard and US Army troops on fellow citizens.

President Trump has to know all of this. Obviously, such an outcome would tear the country in two, the likes of which we haven't seen since the Civil War. Would Trump do that for pride's sake of winning the election? Of course not.

Trump realizes that it IS now or never for this country. If the Deep State gets away with the Election heist of history, we are finished as a Republic. The Establishment will NEVER allow it to be undermined by an outsider again. There will NEVER be a legitimate election in the future. Our freedoms and liberties will evaporate into nothing under the relentless oppression of socialism devolving into communism.

THIS is why President Trump is willing to literally go to war with half the country in order to save the Union as Abraham Lincoln did.

You should prepare accordingly.

This all reads like a sad pipe dream. There will be no utilization of the military by Trump, no matter what happens (short of a literal, shooting civil war before January 20.

Why is he doing this?

It rhymes with MILITARY TRIBUNALS.

This all reads like a sad pipe dream. There will be no utilization of the military by Trump, no matter what happens

Precisely.

There will be no need for a civil war.

The evidence for election fraud is massive.

Was the real vote total something like Trump 80,000,000 to Biden 50,000,000?

I will answer the call.

Fake news - the GOPe and the Democrats are trying to destroy the concept of any independent ever running for President again.

He pulls that lever and the house and senate will shut him down immediately with near unanimous votes and lose a good chunk of his supporters in the process and we’d still have a Biden Presidency.

I support Trump wholeheartedly but he can’t call an insurrection unless he proves the election was stolen in court FIRST and then the DNC won’t stand down.

If the courts find otherwise and he calls an insurrection then he’s a lone pariah and the GOP will abandon him and the DNC will turn him into another Nixon - if he’s not executed anyway which the progressives want.

If he loses - he should say “I’ll be back” and start laying the groundwork for 2024 and a new party. I’d back him.

No. He’s not.

The Military is not getting involved in this.

For goodness sake, there hasn’t been a single state certifying their results yet. But, you are ready to gather with shot guns in front of the military.

Good luck with that.

How about we follow the rules before we get all rowdy.

Yeah Buddy 👍

The obvious reason is Esper et al needed to be fired long ago, but the President couldn't before the election. Other possible reasons are, their opposition to pulling our troops out of Afghanistan and removing potential coup plotters in case he wins the election through exposing massive voter fraud.

I hope it means what I’m starting to suspect.

Why would he need to invoke the Insurrection Act? Who would be rioting or causing civil unrest? Why might they do so soon? (Please let it be what I’m thinking).

I pray that the courts are won over or that Rs at state level do their job.

But it is naïve to consider this a done deal.

Deep state doesn’t just own dems.

It’s past voter fraud. It’s a coup.

I was hoping that the Trump team had the goods on election fraud to establish a legitimate claim.

Apparently it's all a ruse and a sinister temper tantrum over a conspiracy theory while involving parts of the DOD to start CW II.

I hope the MSM is not lurking, lol.

election was stolen in court FIRST and then the DNC won’t stand down. If the courts find otherwise and he calls an insurrection then he’s a lone pariah ....

Blah blah blah. The courts be Damned.

If the deep state can’t beat Trump with impeachment or a rigged election, their only remaining option is civil war. Trump is smart to be prepared.

That was my thought too.

This will be resolved in the courts, as was the 2000 result.

Im ready to go to war. We have no choice.⁰

They steal this election, how will he win next time? Ans you think they won’t attempt to arrest him first?