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Politico
6 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Black leaders feel under siege after Trump's D.C. takeover
What up, Recast fam. On today's agenda: Donald Trump's unprecedented takeover of Washington, D.C.'s police force is testing the limits of his presidential authority and ratcheting up fears that other cities also led by Black elected officials will soon be caught in his crosshairs. Trump, citing flimsy and misleading statistics, declared a 'crime emergency' in the nation's capital, seizing control over local law enforcement from three-term Mayor Muriel Bowser and deploying some 800 National Guard troops to city streets. 'This is Liberation Day in D.C. and we're going to take our capitol back,' Trump proclaimed, echoing World War II-era language associated with emancipation of Italy from facism and the German Nazi occupation. Trump added that his action would 'rescue our nation from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse.' The National Guard troops, who will work alongside the Metropolitan Police officers, will be tasked with clearing homeless encampments, protecting landmarks and keeping order in the city. It's an unprecedented presidential power grab that Bowser herself said is unnecessary, but has very little recourse to stop given the 'special conditions' outlined in the Home Rule Act. While Trump's supporters have cheered him on, his detractors say the move is nothing more than the president, once again, leaning into racist tropes to cast Black elected officials as incompetent and minority citizens as threats to society. During his wide-ranging press conference, Trump also singled out Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Oakland — all of which have Black mayors and large minority populations that overwhelmingly voted against him in his three presidential runs — as crime ridden. 'He has never thought well of Black elected leaders, and he's been explicit about that,' said Maya Wiley, the president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. She added that she views Trump's actions as a tactic to undermine liberal dissent. 'It's also clear from his previous statements that he has always searched for excuses to assert might over places he does not have political support and that will not just do his bidding,' she added. 'Washington, D.C., has been one of those cities.' Was The Recast forwarded to you by a friend? Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter here. You'll get a weekly breakdown of how race and identity are the DNA of American politics and policy. Bowser worked to quell tensions between her and Trump stemming from his first term. This included painting over the yellow letters of the city's Black Lives Matter Plaza, which was formed in a response to police brutality during the national protests of 2020. Prior to Trump's inauguration she traveled to Mar-a-Lago to discuss possible areas of collaboration. In late April, Bowser helped lure the Washington Commanders NFL franchise from suburban Maryland back to D.C., with Trump cheering the move in a social media post as a 'HUGE WIN' for the city and it's 'incredible fan base.' Days later, she appeared with him at the White House to announce the city would host the NFL Draft in 2027. (Last month, Trump injected himself again by threatening to scuttle the deal to bring the football team back to D.C. if the team didn't return to its original name, which is considered a racial slur against Native Americans.) None of that appears to have deterred Trump from launching his federal takeover. 'I think this is a moment for the mayor to question whether her strategy, which has been appeasement, has been a success,' said Paul Butler, a Georgetown law professor and former federal prosecutor. He described Trump's actions as a 'bogus declaration' but suggested there is likely little reprieve D.C. officials will gain trying to challenge the president's declaration in court. 'While the court reviews whether he appropriately has this power, the Supreme Court and other lower courts [have] generally allowed him to … proceed with what he wants to do, until they get around to deciding the case,' Butler added. 'It opens the doors to further militarization of the police, not just in the District, but in the other cities that he named.' This is not the first time Trump has ignored the wishes of local officials and deployed federal troops. During the height of federal immigration raids in Los Angeles, which sparked protests that turned violent, Trump federalized some 2,000 California Guard troops against the wishes of Mayor Karen Bass, who is Black, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott told The Recast that Trump's actions in D.C. and his singling out of other Black-led jurisdictions, including his own, is nothing more than a 'diversion and distraction tactic' to shift the focus from a volatile economic climate and the release of materials associated with Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender. 'It's also the continuation of the president, unfortunately, spouting these racist-based, right-wing propaganda talking points about cities and Black-led cities,' said Scott, who last month said his city is in the midst of a historic reduction in violent crime. 'For the president to say that we're too far gone — it's just obscene, obnoxious and just not based in reality.' Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a combat veteran, chastised Trump for using military personnel for political gain. 'These actions by the president lack both data and a battle plan,' Moore said in a statement. '[The president] is simply using honorable men and women as pawns to distract us from his policies, which continue to drive up unemployment and strip away health care and food assistance from those who need it most.' Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson echoed Moore's sentiments. 'If President Trump wants to help make Chicago safer, he can start by releasing the funds for anti-violence programs that have been critical to our work to drive down crime and violence,' Johnson said. 'Sending in the National Guard would only serve to destabilize our city and undermine our public safety efforts.' The pretext of Trump's actions appears to be a response to an attack on Edward Coristine, who is white and a former staffer at DOGE who goes by the nickname 'Big Balls.' He was allegedly assaulted by approximately 10 juveniles near Dupont Circle this month, according to a police report obtained by POLITICO. It caught the attention of Trump, who posted on his Truth Social platform a photo of a bloodied Coristine and called for D.C. laws to be changed so that teenagers who commit violence can be tried as adults 'and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14.' Trump is deputizing key administration officials to help oversee the D.C. police, which he can maintain control of for up to 48 hours, but if he sends a special message to certain congressional leaders, he can extend that control for up to 30 days. Attorney General Pam Bondi will be in charge of D.C. police, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will direct the order to call up troops, while the District's U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said on Monday that she is preparing to bolster prosecutions. Bowser, the D.C. mayor, delivered a measured response to the federal takeover in her remarks following Trump's announcements. 'While this action [Monday] is unsettling and unprecedented, I can't say that, given some of the rhetoric of the past, that we're totally surprised,' she said. We'll continue to monitor how this plays out in D.C. and if similar federal action is deployed in other major cities. All the best,The Recast Team ARRESTED AT SEA The Israeli military last month intercepted the Handala, the flotilla carrying aid to Gazans, arresting 21 crew members. Among them was Chris Smalls, former president of the Amazon Labor Union. Smalls, the only Black member of the crew, told The Recast he believes he was singled out by the Israeli military because of his race and subsequently beaten. In prison, Smalls began a hunger strike, which he said lasted until he was released five days later. Our colleague Teresa Wiltz caught up with Smalls, who in 2023 was an honoree on the Recast Power List, to talk about his experiences on and off the flotilla, what happened once he was released — and why he says he's going back on the flotilla as soon as possible. This interview was edited for length and clarity. THE RECAST: Can you talk me through what happened? SMALLS: We were intercepted, illegally kidnapped against our will because we had intentions to go to Israel. They cut communications off from the outside world. There's at least a dozen ships [surrounding us]. We had to ride with them for about 12 hours before we were transferred to the port of authority. THE RECAST: At what point were you arrested? SMALLS: Well, once we were transferred to the immigration department, they violently assaulted me; seven authorities threw me to the ground. They put their knees in my back. They pushed my arm behind my back, and three of them levitated me on each side, while one of them was using my jewelry to choke me. Then they isolated me. THE RECAST: Talk to me about what it was like in the prison. SMALLS: Yeah, we were seven in one cell, not ideal for a hot, low-oxygen room. It was a heat wave, very inhumane conditions. It was bedbug-infested; I have scabies now because of it. Yeah, it was, it was pretty much hell. They had us strip naked, humiliated us, tried to break us down psychologically. THE RECAST: Do you feel like you were being targeted because of your race? SMALLS: Oh, 1,000 percent. It was not a coincidence that I was the last [of my group released with Hatem from Tunisia, the only other person of color left behind from the flotilla.] THE RECAST: Tell me about the day they released you. SMALLS: They came in, told us to get ready, we're going home. They threw us in the back of a van, and we were off to the Jordan border. We had no idea where we're going. When we got to the border, they just handed us $300 in cash and told us, 'Take a taxi to the airport.' So thankfully, I was able to meet some Palestinian people that allow me to use one of their cell phones and contact the coalition to tell them where I was at. THE RECAST: Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.) are your senators. Did you hear from them? SMALLS: Yeah, I hadn't heard from any of them. I mean, they take money from AIPAC or whatever they do. I'm not surprised. You know, it is what it is. It's a shame, you know. But that's the reason why I went, to shed light on this and for American citizens to be outraged about where our taxpayer dollars are going. [Editor's note: An aide from Booker's office said in a statement, 'Since being made aware of Mr. Small's detainment, Senator Booker's office worked with the U.S. Department of State and the Israeli Embassy to obtain information about the circumstances of his detainment, his treatment and ensure he was receiving assistance.' Kim's office did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.] THE RECAST: Are you going to do it again? SMALLS: Yeah, of course. I'll definitely, definitely do it [with] other folks for sure.. WHAT WE'RE WATCHING THIS WEEK Thorny Texas tilt — Democratic Reps. Lloyd Doggett, the dean of the Texas congressional delegation, and Greg Casar, who heads the Congressional Progressive Caucus, may compete for the same Texas district if Texas lawmakers approve new redistrict maps. POLITICO's Gregory Svirnovskiy explores Doggett's push to get Casar to run in another district — one that's a Trump +10 — instead of the safe Democratic district. And more… TODAY'S CULTURE NEWS A royal extension — Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have reportedly extended their partnership with Netflix with a multiyear, first-look deal. Snoop Dogg goes down under — The 'Drop It Like It's Hot' rapper and former ambassador for the Olympics last year was just named headliner for next month's Australian Football League's Grand Final,billed as 'the biggest event on the Australian sporting calendar.' Country singer opens up about boyfriend, Kash Patel – Country singer Alexis Wilkins swatted away any unease about her 19-year age gap with boyfriend Kash Patel, the head of the FBI. 'Modern Family' star changes name, drops new music – The actress that played Lily on the hit show, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons, is reportedly changing her stage name and also debuting an indie pop EP.
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Hundreds of anti-Trump protests are scheduled nationwide over civil rights and GOP bill
Anti-Trump protests, channeling the legacy of Rep. John Lewis, are calling for 'good trouble.' Civil rights activist and Georgia Congressman John Lewis was known for saying he got into "good trouble" by using peaceful, non-violent action to challenge injustice. Now, in 1,600 cities and towns across the country, protesters are planning to make similar "good trouble" on July 17, the fifth anniversary of Lewis' death. 'What we want the nation to know is that his legacy lives on, that the good trouble that he got into and that he fought for is not over," said Barbara Arnwine, co-leader of the Transformative Justice Coalition. "We are absolutely focused on making sure that our voices throughout the country are raised.' Protesters are expected to turn out for a variety of reasons, including their opposition to the recently passed budget bill, attacks on womens rights and diversity, and immigration enforcement, such as President Donald Trump's decision to call out the California National Guard to quell pro-immigrant protests in Los Angeles. If you want to go: 'Good Trouble' protest locations: See where demonstrations are planned 'We have a president that is deploying (the) National Guard to actually stop peaceful protests, and it's making things more dangerous for people, and making things harder for people who just want to stand up, protect their neighbors and speak out, which is something that we're allowed to do," said Allison Pulliam, co-director of Declaration for American Democracy Coalition. A White House spokesperson said this week that President Donald Trump is doing what he promised to do on the campaign trail. 'Nearly 80 million Americans gave President Trump a historic mandate to Make America Great Again and he is delivering on that promise in record time,' said White House spokesperson Liz Huston. When do they start? Because they take place on a Thursday, many of the protests are scheduled to occur after the workday ends. Many of the morning events are organized as honk-and-wave protests at overpasses during rush hour. Organizers said they aren't worried the weekday timing will affect the number of protesters. Over 231,000 people were registered to attend by the afternoon of July 15. For previous demonstrations, signups have totaled only a fraction of those who actually turned up to protest. The Good Trouble protests follow the No Kings protests on June 14, which drew millions of Americans at more than 2,000 locations across the country. Why now? Leslie Proll, senior director, of the Voting Rights Program at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, pointed out that the protests are happening just weeks before the 60th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson's signing the Voting Rights Act, on Aug. 6, 1965. 'In this moment, more than ever, we need to lift up our affirmative vision for a multiracial democracy in which everyone can participate,' she said. More: Why 'Good Trouble' protesters chose Thursday, July 17 to rally against Trump April Albright, legal director and chief of staff of Black Voters Matter, said Americans need to come out to defend one another once again. 'We need to march, yes. We should protest, yes. We should do our local elections, because power is birthed from the ground up," she said. "But we need every single facet of our communities actively engaging.'
Indianapolis Star
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
'Good Trouble' protests will target Trump's 'rollback of civil rights.' See Indiana locations
Hundreds of protests are scheduled throughout the nation Thursday into Saturday in response to recent actions by President Donald Trump and his administration. The "Good Trouble Lives On" rallies are named in part from the late Congressman John Lewis, and include gatherings across dozens of Indiana cities. Here's what to know about the protests, including when and where they'll be located. The organizers of "Good Trouble Lives On" define the movement on their website as "a national day of action to respond to the attacks on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration." The website urges readers to fight back against the recent "brazen rollback of civil rights," including attacks on voting rights, limiting freedom of protest and stripping of essential services. Using the term coined by Lewis, "Good Trouble" refers to the act of coming together peacefully to challenge injustice and create meaningful change, according to the site. A majority of the protests are scheduled on July 17, the fifth anniversary of Lewis' death. Story continues after gallery. More than 160 partner organizations are listed on the group's website, including the League of Women Voters and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. "Trump is trying to divide us," the website says, "but we know the power of coming together." The times and addresses of the July 17-19 protests scheduled in Indiana can be found below. Rallies without addresses are marked as private events, which can be joined via the Good Trouble Lives On website. More in Indiana politics: Gov. Braun hints state could intervene over Indy violence. 'Something's gotta give.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DHS Using Drones Capable of Surveillance Amid L.A. Protests
Police arrest dozens of protesters during a protest over immigration raids near the City Hall in Los Angeles, California, on June 11, 2025. Credit - Tayfun Coskun—Anadolu via Getty The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is using drones during the protests in Los Angeles, the department has confirmed, further fueling controversy surrounding the escalating law enforcement response to the demonstrations that broke out as immigration raids occurred throughout the city. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), an agency within DHS, confirmed on Thursday that it is providing 'aerial support' to law enforcement. "Air and Marine Operations (AMO) is providing aerial support to federal law enforcement partners conducting operations in the Greater Los Angeles area. AMO's efforts are focused on situational awareness and officer safety support as requested,' a CBP spokesperson told TIME via email. DHS shared footage of the protests shot with a drone on social media earlier in the week. 'WATCH: DHS drone footage of LA rioters,' the department wrote via an X post on June 10, which included video of cars burning and an apparent explosion accompanied by sinister music. 'California politicians must call off their rioting mob.' The protests in Los Angeles have been predominantly peaceful as they enter their seventh day, media on the ground has reported, though some have escalated as cars have been set on fire and projectiles have been thrown. Despite that, President Donald Trump has deployed thousands of National Guard members and is mobilizing hundreds of Marines to the area, against the wishes of state and local leaders. Local law enforcement has also used crowd control tactics such as rubber bullets and tear gas, and Mayor Karen Bass has declared a state of 'local emergency' and imposed an ongoing 8 p.m. to 6 p.m. curfew. Read More: Veterans Condemn Trump's 'Misuse of Military Power' Amid L.A. Protests Since the protests began on Friday, more than 160 people have been arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The majority of those arrests, according to the New York Times, occurred on Monday, and a majority of them were based on failure to disperse charges. CBP confirmed to 404 media that the drones used by the agency were two Predator drones after the media company reported that drones were spotted flying without call signs where the anti-ICE protests were occurring. Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed reports of the drones in a June 11 hearing with Congress. Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed asked Hegseth if he was prepared for DHS to use drones to 'to detain or arrest American citizens.' 'Every authorization we've provided the National Guard and the Marines in Los Angeles is under the authority of the President of the United States,' Hegseth answered. According to Alejandra Montoya-Boyer, senior director of the Center for Civil Rights & Technology at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, tech groups and civil rights groups alike are "surprised and deeply concerned' by the use of drones, but it is not "necessarily new.' 'CBP has a pretty expansive opportunity to be able to deploy drone technology and other technologies that are able to surveil and track anyone, whether they're crossing the border or in these spaces,' Montoya-Boyer tells TIME. She says 'this isn't necessarily the first time we're seeing this,' but noted that it could still be harmful and 'disproportionately impacting communities of color and immigrants right now.' She says people are often unaware of the extent of land that CBP has access to—100 air miles from any external boundary of the U.S, a border zone that almost two-thirds of the U.S. population lives within. Montoya-Boyer says that the technology used by these drones was created to track border crossings, not to be used to track U.S. citizens at protests. 'The reality is, with the development of these types of technologies, and with appropriations by CBP and DHS, they can be used for domestic surveillance and as needed by an administration that isn't necessarily doing what's usual,' she says. Though the CBP has stated that the drones are focused on 'situational awareness' and 'officer safety,' Montoyta-Boyers says there 'is no reason for us to believe that it is just in the name of law and order' as 'there is an increase, an expansion of surveillance technologies in the name of immigration enforcement being deployed all across the country on the majority of people, whether they're immigrants or not She recommends those who decide to lawfully and peacefully protest to access both the ACLU's and Electronic Frontier Foundation's guides to what protestors' rights are. This is not the first time that drones have been used during U.S. protests in support of law enforcement efforts. Back in 2020, CBP utilized drones at the height of protests in the Black Lives Matter movement spurred by the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. At the time, however, CBP argued that its drones were not being used to 'surveil' protestors, but rather to provide 'assistance to state and locals so they could make sure that their cities and their towns were protected,' according to Acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan in a 2020 interview with ABC News. "We were not providing any resources to surveil lawful peaceful protesters. That's not what we were doing," he said. 'We weren't taking any information on law-abiding protesters, but we were absolutely there to ensure the safety of folks there as well as to enforce, and make sure law and order remain.' Contact us at letters@
Time Magazine
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Time Magazine
U.S. Immigration Agency Using Drones Capable of Surveillance During L.A. Protests
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is using drones during the protests in Los Angeles, the department has confirmed, further fueling controversy surrounding the escalating law enforcement response to the demonstrations that broke out as immigration raids occurred throughout the city. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), an agency within DHS, confirmed on Thursday that it is providing 'aerial support' to law enforcement. "Air and Marine Operations (AMO) is providing aerial support to federal law enforcement partners conducting operations in the Greater Los Angeles area. AMO's efforts are focused on situational awareness and officer safety support as requested,' a CBP spokesperson told TIME via email. DHS shared footage of the protests shot with a drone on social media earlier in the week. 'WATCH: DHS drone footage of LA rioters,' the department wrote via an X post on June 10, which included video of cars burning and an apparent explosion accompanied by sinister music. 'California politicians must call off their rioting mob.' The protests in Los Angeles have been predominantly peaceful as they enter their seventh day, media on the ground has reported, though some have escalated as cars have been set on fire and projectiles have been thrown. Despite that, President Donald Trump has deployed thousands of National Guard members and is mobilizing hundreds of Marines to the area, against the wishes of state and local leaders. Local law enforcement has also used crowd control tactics such as rubber bullets and tear gas, and Mayor Karen Bass has declared a state of 'local emergency' and imposed an ongoing 8 p.m. to 6 p.m. curfew. Since the protests began on Friday, more than 160 people have been arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The majority of those arrests, according to the New York Times, occurred on Monday, and a majority of them were based on failure to disperse charges. CBP confirmed to 404 media that the drones used by the agency were two Predator drones after the media company reported that drones were spotted flying without call signs where the anti-ICE protests were occurring. Does DHS have the authority to use drones? Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed reports of the drones in a June 11 hearing with Congress. Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed asked Hegseth if he was prepared for DHS to use drones to 'to detain or arrest American citizens.' 'Every authorization we've provided the National Guard and the Marines in Los Angeles is under the authority of the President of the United States,' Hegseth answered. According to Alejandra Montoya-Boyer, senior director of the Center for Civil Rights & Technology at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, tech groups and civil rights groups alike are "surprised and deeply concerned' by the use of drones, but it is not "necessarily new.' 'CBP has a pretty expansive opportunity to be able to deploy drone technology and other technologies that are able to surveil and track anyone, whether they're crossing the border or in these spaces,' Montoya-Boyer tells TIME. She says 'this isn't necessarily the first time we're seeing this,' but noted that it could still be harmful and 'disproportionately impacting communities of color and immigrants right now.' She says people are often unaware of the extent of land that CBP has access to—100 air miles from any external boundary of the U.S, a border zone that almost two-thirds of the U.S. population lives within. Montoya-Boyer says that the technology used by these drones was created to track border crossings, not to be used to track U.S. citizens at protests. 'The reality is, with the development of these types of technologies, and with appropriations by CBP and DHS, they can be used for domestic surveillance and as needed by an administration that isn't necessarily doing what's usual,' she says. Though the CBP has stated that the drones are focused on 'situational awareness' and 'officer safety,' Montoyta-Boyers says there 'is no reason for us to believe that it is just in the name of law and order' as 'there is an increase, an expansion of surveillance technologies in the name of immigration enforcement being deployed all across the country on the majority of people, whether they're immigrants or not She recommends those who decide to lawfully and peacefully protest to access both the ACLU 's and Electronic Frontier Foundation 's guides to what protestors' rights are. Have drones been used during previous U.S. protests? This is not the first time that drones have been used during U.S. protests in support of law enforcement efforts. Back in 2020, CBP utilized drones at the height of protests in the Black Lives Matter movement spurred by the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. At the time, however, CBP argued that its drones were not being used to 'surveil' protestors, but rather to provide 'assistance to state and locals so they could make sure that their cities and their towns were protected,' according to Acting CBP Commissioner Mark Morgan in a 2020 interview with ABC News. "We were not providing any resources to surveil lawful peaceful protesters. That's not what we were doing," he said. 'We weren't taking any information on law-abiding protesters, but we were absolutely there to ensure the safety of folks there as well as to enforce, and make sure law and order remain.'
