In early June, protests erupted in Los Angeles against Donald Trump's immigration policies. Widespread outrage was sparked by ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids carried out in city neighborhoods. In response, Trump ordered the deployment of the National Guard to suppress the demonstrations.

Damir Marusic, editor at The Washington Post, believes that Trump had been waiting for protests to break out in order to have a pretext for deploying the military. Today, the presence of troops in Los Angeles is largely seen as an unnecessary measure. While the authorities were not supposed to use the army, they were clearly eager to do so. Troops were sent not just to protect property or prevent unrest, but to discourage dissent. “It feels like it’s an intimidation,” Marusic says.

At the same time, the Trump administration’s harsh stance on immigration is not necessarily unpopular. These actions have sparked protests not only from activists, but also from people who may not support high levels of immigration but see such measures as excessive and un-American. This deepens social divisions and creates an opportunity for Trump to exploit the tensions for political gain.

Journalist Nataliya Gumenyuk and Damir Marusic discuss why Trump is a symptom of the state of the United States, how his emperor-like governing style affects the White House, the dormancy of the Democratic Party, America’s retreat from global leadership, and the shifting tone in how Americans view Europe.

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New tracks tagged #imigration and Trump