Trump redirects dissent from govt. to enemy within

As a master of distraction, U.S. President Donald Trump has used the recent street protests in Los Angeles to redirect antagonism against his administration toward “an enemy within,’’ our correspondent reported

On Saturday night, Trump signed an order to deploy 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, where protests sparked by sweeping immigration raids had led to clashes between authorities and demonstrators.

While the White House said Trump was sending in the guardsmen to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester’’ in California.

Critics also saw it as an authoritarian flex by a strongman president who had relentlessly trampled norms and burst through guardrails, said the British daily on Sunday.

“Since returning to office in January, Trump had sought to crush dissent at cultural institutions, law firms, media companies and universities.

“Many believed it was only a matter of time before he took the fight to the streets.

“Trump is the master of distraction and, with the help of lurid rightwing media clips, wants to divert attention from policy failures and his ugly feud with Elon Musk,’’ it said.

It stressed that the protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids present Trump with an antagonist that can be used as a focal point for anger, hatred and fear.

It ensured that dissent was redirected away from the government and toward an enemy within.

It was the first time in 60 years that a president has activated a state’s National Guard a reserve military without a request from its governor, said the report, citing experts.

Protests in Los Angeles against ICE raids carried into a fourth day Monday.

Tensions in parts of the city had escalated Sunday as thousands of protesters took to the streets in response to the deployment of National Guard.

California on Monday sued the Trump administration for deploying the Guard without consulting Gov. Gavin Newsom, a move the governor had called illegal and immoral.

In a social media post earlier Monday, Newsom said Trump “illegally acted to federalize the National Guard,’’ adding, “We’re suing him.’