Fetterman Is Giving Cover to Trump’s Authoritarian Play—And He Should Know Better
- john raymond
- Jun 11
- 2 min read
Senator John Fetterman’s recent comments on the violence in Los Angeles might read like a call for moderation, a plea for civility, or a defense of law and order. But in reality, they function as something far more dangerous: rhetorical cover for Donald Trump’s authoritarian overreach. And whether he realizes it or not, Fetterman is playing into a trap that has been carefully laid by a Russian asset who thrives on manufactured crisis and exaggerated chaos.
Of course violence is not good. No serious person defends looting or the burning of cars. But that’s not what’s actually at stake here. The problem is the broader political context—a context Fetterman seems unwilling or unable to fully engage with. Trump didn’t deploy thousands of National Guard troops to Los Angeles because of some spontaneous public safety need. He did it to escalate, to provoke, to bait protests into becoming violent so he could justify crackdowns, curfews, and federal control.
In that context, Fetterman’s remarks do not strike a tone of leadership—they play directly into the narrative Trump is crafting: that dissent is inherently dangerous, that all protest is one broken window away from sedition, and that only overwhelming force can restore “order.”
Worse, Fetterman is smart enough to know better.
By emphasizing only the violence while failing to condemn Trump’s unconstitutional use of troops on U.S. soil, Fetterman misses the real threat. Trump manufactured this moment. His policies, his ICE raids, his baiting rhetoric, and his refusal to coordinate with state officials created the conditions for unrest. Then, predictably, he responded with overreach. The danger isn’t just what’s happening on the streets—it’s what’s happening inside the halls of power while people are distracted.
Fetterman wants to be the reasonable voice, the Democrat who talks tough and scolds the left from within. But in doing so, he’s doing Trump’s work for him. He legitimizes a crackdown. He distracts from the unconstitutional nature of the deployment. He reinforces the idea that “law and order” must come first, even if it means civil liberties and democratic norms come second—or not at all.
If Senator Fetterman wants to be taken seriously as a voice of reason, he should start by applying that reason to the source of the crisis—not just its aftershocks.
Because when Trump bends the law, flouts the Constitution, and sends troops into cities he doesn’t control, the problem isn’t just the chaos on the streets. The problem is the power behind it.
And anyone—especially a sitting senator—who fails to see that is either playing dumb or playing along.
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