Donald Trump, the President of the United States, through his conduct and political actions, has mocked the already fragile rules of the international system and openly turned to bullying. He adheres neither to diplomacy nor to legal principles; instead, he tries to impose his will through threats and intimidation, a method that typically ends in retreat when met with counter-pressure. This behavior is not limited to foreign policy. Inside the United States, he follows the same approach, suppressing every dissenting voice. Domestic institutions, civil protests, and citizens’ rights are, in his view, obstacles standing in the way of his personal ambitions.
In recent days, the streets of several American cities have turned into battlegrounds. What is happening in the country today can no longer be described as a temporary security crisis or merely an immigration challenge. In Donald Trump’s second term, the United States has entered a phase that must be called a governance crisis, though the trajectory of this crisis began years ago. In this stage, state violence has become a routine instrument of power, and civic protest has turned into a costly and dangerous act.
The killing of Alex Perti, an American nurse, by federal immigration forces in Minneapolis is not just an incident; it is a symbol of Trump’s deliberate policy. The White House narrative of an armed man forcing agents to act in self-defense does not align with videos, family statements, or remarks from senators. Footage shows an unarmed victim, posing no threat, being beaten and then shot. The federal government has refused to accept responsibility and has instead pursued denial and narrative manipulation. Blocking an independent investigation and offering unconditional support to the agents makes it clear that Trump’s objective is to control the atmosphere and instill fear. His vice president, in a notable statement, has described these protests as “engineered unrest.”
In recent weeks, Minneapolis has effectively become a militarized city. The heavy presence of federal forces, the use of tear gas and smoke bombs against peaceful gatherings, and threats of mass arrests paint an alarming picture of civil rights conditions in America. This situation is not the result of popular unrest, but of political decisions made at the highest level of power. In confronting protests, Donald Trump has chosen threats over dialogue and de-escalation. He labels protesters as rioters, accuses local officials of inciting rebellion, and calls federal forces “patriots.” The contradiction in Trump’s behavior becomes even clearer when one considers his positions on unrest in Iran. The same president who openly encouraged people there to use violence, seize sensitive centers, and confront the government now tolerates no form of protest inside his own country. He supports disorder abroad, but answers protest at home with bullets and arrests.
For Trump, riots — even chaos — is legitimate when it occurs against America’s geopolitical rivals. But when that same logic of protest reaches American streets, it is immediately redefined as rebellion, terrorism, and a threat to national security. The Trump administration is facing multiple crises at once. Social divisions have deepened, the immigration crisis has intensified, economic dissatisfaction has spread, and public trust in security institutions has declined. The White House response to all these crises has been the same: repression, threats, and the use of force.
Trump’s unconditional support for federal forces, even after visual evidence of citizens being killed, sends a clear message to society. That message says the state can use violence and consider itself unaccountable. When an American senator tells people to trust their own eyes, it means the gap between reality and the official narrative has reached a dangerous level. Yet Trump not only refuses to retreat; by increasing the presence of federal forces, he deepens the crisis. He escalates tension in order to justify repression. An America that answers peaceful protest with weapons cannot claim to defend human rights in the world. A president who fuels unrest abroad, whose proxies commit crimes, and who at home silences the voices of his own people, while calling himself a president of peace and complaining about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, is a dangerous illness that requires serious treatment.
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