Trump's plot to tear the country in two

[marmar]

The president of the United States is at war with his own country
The Trump administration is engaged in a comprehensive war, and its enemy is half of America.

Jan. 18, 2026, 6:00 AM EST
By Paul Waldman


(MSNow) On Wednesday, President Trump shouted on Truth Social, “EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY FIRST, NO MORE PAYMENTS WILL BE MADE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO STATES FOR THEIR CORRUPT CRIMINAL PROTECTION CENTERS KNOWN AS SANCTUARY CITIES.” What did he mean by “payments”? Highway funds, Medicare reimbursements to hospitals, education programs? No one seems to know, least of all Trump himself.

Trump can’t just shut off all federal funding to states he doesn’t like. But no one doubts he would if he could — or doubts he’s trying to. This is more than bloviation. Something important and dangerous is happening. The Trump administration is engaged in a comprehensive war, and its enemy is half of America. This war is being waged in rhetoric and regulation, budget cuts and violence. Its aim is to tear the country in two.

....(snip)....

Minneapolis is only one of the places Trump has sent National Guard troops and/or large numbers of ICE and Border Patrol agents. All of thoe places have been where most of the population votes for Democrats: Los Angeles, Washington, Memphis, New Orleans. And there will be more places.

Far less attention has been given to the administration’s efforts to create two separate systems of federal funding, one for red states and one for blue ones. Fortunately, at least for now, some of those efforts are being blocked by the courts. Last week, a federal judge ruled that the administration had acted illegally when it cancelled billions of dollars in environmental grants to 16 states led by Demcorats. “Defendants freely admit,” the judge noted, “that they made grant-termination decisions primarily — if not exclusively — based on whether the awardee resided in a state whose citizens voted for President Trump in 2024.” .................................(more)

https://www.ms.now/opinion/trump-ice-minnesota-renee-good-noem-civil-war

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. It will have precisely the opposite effect

The widespread universal suffering caused by Trump 2.0 will unify the vast majority of the people against this administration.

[alittlelark]

3. He won't care - he is trying to 'positioning pieces'

So disapproval will not matter.

[Fiendish Thingy]

5. He cares desperately.

He knows his disapproval ratings = bloodbath in the midterms.

He is flailing impulsively and incompetently, while the people unify and organize against him.

[The Wizard]

2. Doing Putin's bidding. (NT)

[2naSalit]

4. I don't think it's half...

More like a quarter if that. Don't trust polls.

[Wicked Blue]

6. In that case, secession!

[appmanga]

7. Every time they try this...

...the federal courts beat them back, so, at this point, it's become nothing more than performative. If the Supreme Court would have lived up to the moment, this regime would have been weakened faster, but they have their own agenda, which appear to be the opposite of what previous Courts have tried to do: make the law more clear with the result being less cases for them to decide. The Roberts Court wants to put their thumb into every pie, and create bad law while they do it. Fifty years from now, the decision that gave Trump expanded power will be seen in the same ill-repute (after being overturned) as Dred Scott, Plessy, and Korematsu.