Minneapolis has become a symbol of the trepidation felt by Americans toward Donald Trump; it is quickly becoming on a par with Birmingham in 1963, Chicago in 1968, and Boston in 1774. This will mark a time when the administration lost control of events. The deaths of Renee’ Good and Alex Pretti, could have been avoided with responsible control of ICE.

Trump seems baffled that the false claims of Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller have not been readily accepted. Yet all films depict an out-of-control organization that appears to be the problem and not the solution. They even managed to block the FBI’s role in investigating the matter. Kash Patel and Tom Homan have been shut out of the process from the beginning. It casts suspicion on what information the President has received during the crisis.

It has the feel of Birmingham, where Eugene “Bull” Connor ran amok, despite good counsel from Laurie Pritchett, who handled a hot situation in Albany, Georgia, in 1962. Later in Selma, Alabama, in 1965, Sheriff Jim Clark, despite sound advice from Wilson Baker, used his brutal tactics on “Bloody Sunday” on March 2, 1965, turning a controversy into a full-blown crisis.

ICE itself appears as a frightening group with its mask and bullying tactics. Most Republicans have delivered weak support, forced to run for cover. The retribution campaign has reached its peak, weakening the President at every turn. For many, it revives images of Charlottesville and the clearing of the streets in Washington in 2020. To the uninitiated, the right-wing marches in Charlottesville in 2017 were a dress rehearsal for the future suppression of democracy.

Can this all be laid at the feet of the President? No, but his rhetoric has been harsh. Much like Richard Nixon’s remarks after Kent State in May 1970, when Ohio National Guardsmen shot down four students. Some were simply on the way to class, but this did not stop Nixon from calling them “bums.” One was an ROTC member, and this comment elicited a fierce response. Trump’s White House, particularly Noem, was too quick to use the term “terrorist.” It appears they want to protect themselves without considering their boss; all of this does nothing to protect the administration.

It is folly to prevent the FBI, which is in the hands of Trump loyalists, from interfering with Noem’s Homeland Security Administration so that it can continue to support her organization. Miller’s behavior is reactive, with emotional responses that lack factual support. The more measured members of the Trump White House should take control before the whole situation unravels. It is one thing to advise the President; it is quite the other to manipulate him. His addiction to TruthSocial does little to prevent the situation from getting out of hand.

Civil disturbances often seem small, no bigger than a man’s hand on the horizon, only to mushroom out of control.

Trump, by allowing self-interested associates to steer his policy, is showing foolish loyalty. It seems strange that he is willing to ignore other MAGA figures in exchange for fealty to an opportunist and a careerist.