As President Donald Trump seeks reelection, he is promising to use the military in unprecedented ways to achieve his policy goals. Plans include recalling troops from overseas to patrol the US-Mexico border, use of troops for domestic purposes such as deportations and dealing with civil unrest, and removing military officers who oppose his ideology.
This drastic shift in the military’s role in society has sparked concern among human rights groups. Trump’s platform, known as Agenda 47, focuses on implementing strict measures at the border and declaring war on cartels, utilizing the Navy in blockades, and deploying the National Guard and possibly the military in mass deportation operations.
While Trump’s allies support these plans, Democrats express alarm at the potential misuse of military power, especially internally. Trump’s use of phrases like “enemy from within” and his desire to move military assets may exacerbate tensions within the GOP between hawkish foreign policy and Trump’s “America First” isolationism.
With Democrats failing to update laws restricting presidential powers, Trump’s second term could see unprecedented use of the military to enforce his agenda, leading to further division and concern among lawmakers and citizens.
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