There are moments in history when nations are tested—not by war or disaster, but by whether they can remain faithful to their ideals.  

Today, we face such a test. Donald Trump just told 800 top military leaders that they need to prepare to confront an “invasion from within.” He is preparing the United States military to turn on Americans who don’t agree with him.

This is tyranny.

Let me be clear: There is no invasion. There is no enemy army in our neighborhoods. There are only Americans. Our neighbors, our families, our fellow citizens. We may disagree, protest, or demand better, but we belong here just as much as any president does.

To speak of an “enemy within,” to call for military force in our cities, or to use American streets as a “training ground” for war, is to abandon the very Constitution that gives a president his authority.

Democracies don’t operate this way. But dictatorships do. 

History has shown us where this road leads. From Berlin to Beijing, from Mubarak to Mussolini, those who invoke the fear of an internal invasion do so to justify censorship, repression, and brutality. Always in the name of “order.” Always in the shadow of tyranny.

We do not fear our own people.

We do not treat our cities as warzones.

And we do not use the military to settle political disputes or to suppress dissent.

If we allow the language of war to replace the language of democracy, we risk losing not just our freedoms, but our very identity as a nation.

To avoid that dark fate, we need to see the truth of what’s happening with clear eyes: America is not under attack from within. America is being tested from above, by those entrusted with power but unwilling to wield it responsibly.

And we, the people, must meet that test.

We must speak out, stand up, and remind our leaders that in this country, power flows from the people to the president—not the other way around.

This is not just about policy. It is about principle. It is about whether the next generation inherits a republic, or a regime.

So, to every citizen: Do not be silent. Do not be afraid.

The most patriotic act you can take right now is to demand your government remember that it was built to serve, not to rule.