Trump, by using the National Guard, created new risks for American democratic institutions - Rezazade

The potential deployment of military forces in the United States to suppress protests is not just a domestic political step. It is a rubicon that turns the United States from a guarantor of democracy into a state with signs of authoritarianism.

This was stated by the first vice president of the Iranian opposition in Washington, international expert Ali Reza Rezazade.

“When the government prepares to use the army against its own people, this is not a struggle for order, it is a symptom of the decay of democracy. And the worst thing is that this is not an exception, but the beginning of a new norm,” Rezazade believes.

According to him, for the first time in 60 years, Donald Trump can initiate a large-scale deployment of the National Guard without a request from the governor. This happened against the backdrop of a wave of protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles and the intention to mark the anniversary of the army with a parade with tanks and landings in Washington.

“This is a classic scenario for authoritarian leaders: create a “crisis” and then respond to it harshly under the guise of restoring order. We have already seen this in other countries. Now it is about the United States,” the expert emphasizes.

The rhetoric of the White House is becoming increasingly aggressive. The president does not directly distinguish between peaceful protesters and radicals, threatening to “persecute” all dissenters. At the same time, the administration is considering the possibility of canceling federal funding for California, which borders on political blackmail.

Rezazade points to the particular danger of such an escalation:

“This sets a precedent: an American leader gets the freedom to act without systemic restraints. If in his first term the military restrained him, now he has surrounded himself with loyalists. This is no longer about the rule of law — it’s about demonstrative force.”

The expert also emphasizes that the international reputation of the United States has come under attack: “When Washington demonstrates to the world that it is ready to use the army against its own citizens, this is a serious blow to its image as the leader of the free world.”

Finally, Rezazade warns America’s allies:
“This is not just an internal US affair. This is a signal to the entire West that institutional stability is not eternal. And today’s America is a mirror of possible scenarios in every democracy that underestimates the power of authoritarian temptations.”