1. United States
2. Wash.
3. Letter

Donald Trump has threatened the first amendment, clearly stating that students who participate in “illegal” protests will be deported if they are international students, or expelled and jailed if they are US citizens. This is constitutionally illegal and is also a clear sign of dictatorship. I think it clearly also signals his intention to move toward a state of emergency and martial law. This is very similar to what he did with Zelensky, which is to pick a fight and then use that fight as rationale to do exactly what he was going to do anyway. Many lives will be ruined and many others will be lost if we enter into martial law. This also puts our service members in an impossible position to either turn against their own citizens or face court martial. Hold firm on the budget. Shut down the government. Call this what it is - a coup and an authoritarian dictatorship. Stop being polite. Pull out all the stops. We are careening toward absolute catastrophe.