While Tim Walz and Kamala Harris cite Trump threats against "the enemy within" the DOD enables military to use of "lethal force" on American soil.
make it make sense
This week, Kamala Harris and Tim Walz raised the alarm regarding Trump’s reference to “the enemy within” and the use of the military against political rivals.
We have crossed a line that I have to tell you, in my lifetime I would have never imagined because we know our history. Donald Trump over the weekend was talking about using the U.S. Army against people who disagree with him. Just so you’re clear about that, that’s you. That’s what he’s talking about. This is not some mythical thing out there. He called it “the enemy within.” And to Donald Trump, anybody who doesn’t agree with him is the enemy.
Does Tim Walz identify as “the enemy within” or does he just expects us to trust his interpretation of the words of someone he clearly dislikes/disrespects?
Here’s a sample of the mainstream take on this story. You can see others here, here and here.
Kyle Becker’s response on X offers a different interpretation:
The Enemies Within Hoax: Democrats Cherry Pick Soundbites to Frame Dangerous Narrative Both Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the past 48 hours have attacked Donald Trump over the former president allegedly wanting to sick the military on his political enemies and put radical leftists in camps. This is yet another blatant hoax. And it is a particularly dangerous one to spread against a former president who has already faced two assassination attempts, based in part on lies he is a "threat to democracy."
The hoax relies in part on dropped context for the key quote and the target audience being unlikely to navigate shifting contexts to a separate but related quote.
Walz recently said on the campaign trail that Trump wants to “use the U.S. Army against people who disagree with him." "Just so you’re clear about that, that’s you. That’s what he’s talking about. This is not a mythical thing.”
It is a "mythical thing." It is a mythical thing, as will be shown.
Kamala Harris fared no better. She ramped up the hyperbolic rhetoric to an eleven while on the campaign trail. “You heard his words, coming from him. He’s talking about the enemy within … he’s talking about that he considers anyone that doesn’t support him, or who will not bend to his will, an enemy of our country,” she said.
She added, “He’s saying he would use the military to go after them … and we know who he would target, because he has attacked them before: Journalists whose stories who he doesn’t like, election officials who refuse to cheat by finding extra votes for him, judges who insist on following the law instead of bending to his will. This is among the reasons I believe so strongly that a second Trump term would be a huge risk for America, and dangerous.”
As reported by CNN, Harris’ campaign will release a new ad, dubbed “Enemy Within,” featuring Trump saying the phrase “the enemy from within” on the campaign trail.
But this is yet another big lie that drops critical context. In Donald Trump's interview with Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures, the former president gave multiple soundbites on "the enemies within."
In one clip, Trump talks in general about radical Democrats like Adam Schiff, who spread a debunked Russia hoax about the president that damaged the country. In another clip, Trump talks about radical agitators in the context of election security.
"I think the bigger problem is the enemy from within, not even the people who have come in, destroying our country — and by the way, totally destroying our country, the towns, the villages, they're being inundated..."
"But I don't think they're the problem in terms of Election Day, I think the bigger problem are the people from within, we have some very bad people, we have some sick people, radical left lunatics."
"And it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, the military."
There you have it. The former president is clearly talking about Election Day security, such as if the left wanted to stage its own January 6 "insurrection" against a Trump victory. Donald Trump makes clear the National Guard and the military would be used "if necessary," in other words, in the event of a threat to national security.
The Enemies Within Hoax is yet another ploy from a desperate and failing Harris-Walz campaign.
Zero Hedge offers additional context here.
(In general, I suggest using caution with anyone attempting to be the interpreter of their enemy.)
Meanwhile, at the DOD…
Whichever way you land, it does seem like a good idea to put some kind of measures in place to protect citizens from any leader who would consider weaponizing the military against U.S. citizens with dissenting opinions.
So it’s puzzling that, given the threat they perceive, the Biden/Harris administration would allow for an amended DOD directive that would expand domestic military authority to include the use of lethal force.
Why on earth would they amend a directive to enable this?
Assistance in responding with assets with potential for lethality, or any situation in which it is reasonably foreseeable that providing the requested assistance may involve the use of force that is likely to result in lethal force, including death or serious bodily injury. It also includes all support to civilian law enforcement officials in situations where a confrontation between civilian law enforcement and civilian individuals or groups is reasonably anticipated.
reasonably anticipated? Whose reasoning will they be deferring to?
From
US Military Now Authorized to KiII Americans on US Soil This was once an Alex Jones “conspiracy theory,” but now it's become a disturbing reality. A DoD directive has expanded domestic military authority to include LETHAL force. What this means is the Department of Defense now has the power to step in and use lethal force within U.S. borders, even against its own citizens, when it deems lives are at risk. The scope of this authority is chilling because the directive specifically states that the decision to use lethal force only needs the Secretary of Defense’s approval. Once lethal force is approved, anything can happen.
@RonPaul highlighted the alarming possibility that the state could send in the troops, claiming “anti-vaxxers” are putting lives at risk by defying lockdown orders. If the state decides you're endangering others, the US military could be used against you. For years, Alex Jones warned about martial law and domestic military control, and now we’re seeing it unfold right before our eyes.
https://x.com/VigilantFox/status/1846586886841643322
Former U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) has voiced grave concerns over the directive, which allows military personnel to assist civilian law enforcement, even with lethal force if deemed necessary.
The directive, reissued on September 27, 2024, has been met with alarm by Paul and others who fear it paves the way for military action against civilians…
…According to Paul, this move highlights the unchecked power of the administrative state, which he described as “a law unto themselves.”
The directive allows the military to engage in lethal actions when lives are in danger, authorizing it to respond to civil disturbances, support law enforcement, and even intervene in cases involving chemical, biological, or nuclear incidents.
Paul explained, “It’s not a law. It’s a DOD directive. They take over. They don’t pass laws.”
What gives? I’d love to hear any candidate address this.
So disturbing!
That’s amusing. The aforementioned enemies within object to the phrase “enemy within.”
Gotta love it.
Maybe they’re allergic to crosshairs?