The Alarming Truth: How Trump Pushed to Arm Troops Against American Protesters

In the tumultuous summer of 2020, as America grappled with widespread protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd, a chilling demand from the highest office threatened to push the nation to the brink. Explosive new revelations detail how then-President Donald Trump aggressively pushed for National Guard troops deployed in Washington D.C.

to be armed with bayonets and live ammunition, directly targeting American citizens exercising their constitutional right to protest.

According to deeply unsettling accounts, Trump's insistence was rooted in a desire for an overwhelming show of force against demonstrators. He reportedly expressed frustration that the military wasn't "cracking skulls" or "shooting people in the legs," demanding a far more violent and aggressive response than his top officials were willing to contemplate.

This alarming rhetoric and the accompanying demands sent shockwaves through the Pentagon and the Justice Department, setting the stage for a dramatic internal struggle.

At the forefront of the resistance was General Mark Milley, then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Faced with Trump's relentless pressure, Milley reportedly recoiled in horror, fearing a catastrophic confrontation.

The chilling specter of China's Tiananmen Square massacre, where the military turned on its own people, loomed large in his mind. He and other senior officials, including Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Attorney General Bill Barr, and acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, vehemently pushed back, arguing against the legality, morality, and sheer danger of using armed military forces against American civilians.

These intense, high-stakes discussions took place against a backdrop of escalating tensions in the nation's capital.

Just before Trump's controversial walk to St. John's Church for a photo opportunity, peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square were violently dispersed by law enforcement using tear gas and rubber bullets. This aggressive clearing, which cleared the path for the President, only fueled concerns among officials that Trump was willing to escalate force dramatically.

The pushback from Milley and his colleagues was not merely a bureaucratic disagreement; it was a desperate struggle to uphold the Constitution and prevent a profound breach of democratic norms.

The idea of American troops, armed with lethal force, confronting unarmed American citizens on U.S. soil represented a red line that many believed could lead to unimaginable consequences, forever altering the relationship between the government and its people.

Ultimately, Milley and others successfully prevented the implementation of Trump's most extreme demands, a testament to their resolve in a moment of immense pressure.

However, these revelations underscore the perilous nature of those weeks and shine a harsh light on the extent to which some in power were willing to go. The untold story of these internal battles serves as a stark reminder of the fragile balance of power and the critical importance of safeguarding democratic principles against authoritarian impulses.