Members of the military attend a meeting convened by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Quantico, Virginia. Photo: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters.
By Margaret Kimberley – Oct 1, 2025
Donald Trump has declared war on the “enemy within” and put the military on notice that they will mete out the same treatment domestically that they dispense around the world.
“Chicago about to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR!” – Donald Trump
“Last month, I signed an executive order to provide training for a quick reaction force that can help quell civil disturbances. This is gonna be a big thing for the people in this room, because it’s the enemy from within and we have to handle it before it gets out of control.” – Donald Trump speaking to high ranking military officers
“Only in recent decades did politicians somehow come to believe that our job is to police the far reaches of Kenya and Somalia while America is under invasion from within. We’re under invasion from within, no different than a foreign enemy but more difficult in many ways because they don’t wear uniforms. At least when they’re wearing a uniform you can take them out. These people don’t have uniforms. But we are under invasion from within and we’re stopping it very quickly.” – Donald Trump speaking to high ranking military officers
Recently the name Department of Defense was retired and that federal agency in charge of the military was given its original name, Department of War. Immediately president Donald Trump implied via one of his Truth Social posts that he was declaring war on the city of Chicago. He then walked back his comment claiming that “We’re not going to war. We’re going to clean up our cities,” which may have seemed benign for those engaging in wishful thinking until Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called a meeting of the top military brass.
The gathering began with Hegseth telling admirals and generals that they needed to shape up, literally. “It’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon, and leading commands around the country and the world. It’s a bad look.” While laughable, the comedic antics were a distraction from the main event, remarks from president Trump himself.
From the moment Hegseth announced the meeting there was a great deal of speculation about its purpose. After Hegseth ordered shaping up or shipping out, Trump made the rational clear. First he jokingly asked for applause and then told the assembled admirals, generals, and other top military staff gathered from around the country and around the world, “If you don’t like what I’m saying you can leave the room. Of course, there goes your rank, there goes your future.”
But there was no joking as to Trump’s intent or his determination to get rid of anyone who won’t follow it. He repeated that he wanted to send the military to “dangerous” cities and again used Chicago as an example of one that could be used as a “military training ground.”
In recent days Trump has increased his rhetoric against leftist groups and individuals and on September 22, 2025 he issued an Executive Order designating “Antifa” as a Domestic Terrorist Organization. There is no organization named Antifa but the evil beauty of the designation is that the name can be applied to anyone that Trump chooses, who can then be subjected to terrorism charges. The order states in part, “All relevant executive departments and agencies shall utilize all applicable authorities to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle any and all illegal operations — especially those involving terrorist actions — conducted by Antifa or any person claiming to act on behalf of Antifa, or for which Antifa or any person claiming to act on behalf of Antifa provided material support, including necessary investigatory and prosecutorial actions against those who fund such operations.”
The term “material support” for terrorism goes back to the Bill Clinton administration with the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996. Again the vagueness of material support is intentional and means that anything from written or verbal expressions of support or monetary donations can be referred to as such and prosecuted under the full force of the law.
Trump wasted no time in issuing a second directive just three days later on September 25, 2025 with a National Security Presidential Memoranda/NSPM-7 entitled “Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence.” The NSPM-7 was even more chilling as it described the criteria that would make a person or a group a target for investigation and prosecution: “Common threads animating this violent conduct include anti-Americanism, anti-capitalism, and anti-Christianity; support for the overthrow of the United States Government; extremism on migration, race, and gender; and hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on family, religion, and morality.”
Prior to the issuing of this NSPM-7 only foreign groups designated as being “terrorist” were included in these prohibitions. But now domestic organizations and their funders can be targeted for expressing what is allegedly protected by the First Amendment. We are allowed to be against capitalism or Christianity or other religions, aren’t we? What is “extremism” on race and gender? Who is deciding what is extreme? Is no one able to question traditional views on family or morality? Most importantly, the term “material support” means anything the state wants it to mean and therefore our legal rights are at risk. Trump is making clear that the military will be involved in suppressing speech and action and that any of the brass he spoke to who aren’t on board with the plan should fill out their retirement papers and will no longer have to worry about their physical fitness.
Chicago Residents Brace for Trump Deployment of Federal Forces
There is another important point about Trump’s remarks to the military officers. He spoke of policing “the far reaches of Kenya and Somalia.” Kenya is a member of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), an alleged U.S. ally that involved itself in the latest iteration of a Haiti occupation at Washington’s behest. Somalia is also an AFRICOM partner nation despite being continually the target of U.S. military aggression for more than 30 years.
Yet straight from the horse’s mouth we see a direct connection between international and domestic repression. Trump isn’t content for the U.S. to be a global hegemon unless it can also act against dissent at home too. We at Black Agenda Report have made this very point for years. The wars abroad are always brought home, whether through the distribution of surplus military equipment to police through the 1033 Program or Trump and his predecessors claiming the right to kill anyone they choose through the Obama administration “kill list” or indefinite detention of anyone a president may choose.
Black people in Kenya or Somalia or Chicago can be subjected to the wrath of the state whenever doing so is expedient. Trump’s attacks on democratic run cities are a feast of red meat to his Make America Great Again followers. Without the occasional outburst of violence against Black people or anyone designated as a leftist they may ask why Trump’s tariff policies are causing inflation or wonder why there isn’t full disclosure of his connections with Jeffrey Epstein. There is nothing like a crackdown on the marginalized and demonized to whip up an angry mob at an opportune moment.
After the shooting death of right wing influencer Charlie Kirk, Trump and company conducted a full court press of hatred against the left and elevation of the racist podcaster to sainthood. Now we see new determinations to break legal precedent and violate the spirit of the Posse Comitatus Act which forbids the use of the military to police a civilian population.
Initially Hegseth’s announcement of the military summoning was met with many questions. Was the U.S. going to war against Iran/Venezuela/China? Were they stopping a palace coup? Now there is a simple answer. Trump is getting the military onboard to carry out his fantasy of destroying anyone he sees as an enemy. Black people, big cities, leftist groups, and anyone who funds their activities are now all in his crosshairs and the people Trump has designated to carry out his wishes know that they must comply or get out. He has declared war on millions of people in this country and the only questions are whether anyone with the power to stop him will have the will to do so and whether the people he has designated as “enemies within” will surrender.
Margaret Kimberley
Margaret Kimberley’s Freedom Rider column appears weekly in Black Agenda Report, and is widely reprinted elsewhere. She maintains a frequently updated blog as well at patreon.com/margaretkimberley and she regularly posts on Twitter @freedomrideblog. Ms. Kimberley lives in New York City, and can be reached via e-Mail at Margaret.Kimberley(at)BlackAgendaReport.com.
