President Donald Trump has publicly defended a series of new security measures for Washington, D.C., asserting that he is not a dictator while simultaneously suggesting that some Americans might be open to authoritarian leadership.
The President made these remarks during a press conference held in the Oval Office, where he signed executive orders introducing stricter penalties for individuals who burn the American flag and eliminating the practice of cashless bail.
These actions form part of a broader administration crackdown on crime in the capital, which includes directing the Pentagon to establish a specialised national force trained specifically to manage public order issues.
In response to criticism that these initiatives resemble authoritarianism, Trump argued that expanding such measures to other cities is essential to combat rising insecurity.
He specifically pointed to Chicago, describing it as a “killing field” and claiming that local officials refuse federal assistance in the name of freedom. The President stated that while some accuse him of being a dictator, many people are saying they might prefer one, though he insisted, “I don’t like a dictator. I’m not a dictator.”
Earlier this month, the Trump administration invoked the Home Rule Act to initiate a federal takeover of the Washington police force for 30 days, citing an emergency due to rising violent crime, homelessness, and lawlessness.
This move, however, contradicts Justice Department data indicating that violent crime in Washington actually fell to a 30-year low last year. In a related action, the President deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles in June following unrest triggered by immigration raids, marking the first time a sitting president has assumed direct control of the National Guard since the 1992 Los Angeles riots.
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cc: Daily Trust NG
