Trump: The Continuation of a National Security State

The “national security state” refers to the concept wherein a government justifies the expansion of its power and control by invoking the need to protect national security from domestic and international threats; whether those threats are genuine or fabricated. These perceived threats are often deliberately created or exaggerated to further particular political objectives, enabling the state to consolidate authority and implement policies that might otherwise be deemed excessive, thus allowing the government to “conduct policy in secret on behalf of the governed but without the consent of the governed” (Dean 611). 

Through engaging in this secret behavior and policy, a national security state can produce a “culture of secrecy,” creating a sense of “widespread suspicion concerning the purposes and morality of the government” (Dean 613). Not only do the people become suspicious and distrustful of the government, but the very functions of the government itself grow schematic and conspiratorial, further contributing to the overexpansion of governmental powers.  

An example of the national security state can be seen in rural Nevada during the Cold War nuclear build up. American military leaders construed Americans’ potential fear and resentment of the testing of atomic weapons as being a threat to national security. Because military leaders classified Americans’ attitudes towards nuclear testing as a threat to national security, the American government attempted to justify many early press releases that suppressed accurate information, with the aim of convincing Nevada residents that the testing was completely safe. However, the nuclear testing was undeniably hazardous, resulting in the deaths of thousands of sheep and ewes, which devastated local ranches. It could be argued that the government was fully aware of the potential dangers of nuclear testing, however deliberately chose not to inform local communities. The suppression of accurate information on the basis of an ambiguous threat is the “fundamental condition of the national security state” (Fox).           

I completely believe that America is still a national security state, especially considering the recent actions of the Trump administration. It is undeniable that the current administration is expanding the power of the executive, firing the Inspectors General, attempting to hijack the power of the purse by refusing to spend congressional funds and changing the intentions of federal agencies despite their stated congressional purpose. Additionally, many of these actions and policies are done in the name of “national security,” with vague stated justifications that hide the true intentions of the administration. A clear example of this is recent policy regarding immigration. Immigrants, many of whom have lived unproblematically in the United States for many years, are being targeted by new policies on the grounds that they pose imminent national security threats. This characterization of immigrants has contributed to the administration’s ability to conduct ICE raids, often illegally. By exaggerating the threat of illegal immigrants—and broadly, immigrants in general—the Trump administration has justified implementing policies that many people otherwise would have deemed excessive, and are often illegal.