Although Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought the U.S. into what some are calling another Cold War with the “Evil Empire,” it’s not (so far) an actual war. Let’s pray it never becomes one.

And diplomatic relations with China and North Korea seem to be holding thus far.

That’s the good news.

But what’s going on in Venezuela? First, Donald Trump orders a strike against a “drug-carrying vessel from Venezuela,” — not an interception and arrest, but a deadly attack that killed 11 people. It was not a defensive action; it was a first strike by the United States government. [Danai Nesta Kupemba, BBC News, September 5, 2025.]

Then Venezuela twice flew its military aircraft near a U.S. vessel off the coast of South America, causing Trump to warn that, if Venezuelan jets continue to fly over U.S. naval ships and “put us in a dangerous position, they’ll be shot down.” [Id.]

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has denied Trump’s allegations and accused him of seeking “regime change through military threat” . . . while still emphasizing that “Venezuela has always been willing to talk, to engage in dialogue, but we demand respect.” [Id.]

But is Trump’s war on drugs — while arguably a good thing in and of itself — a legitimate excuse to use force against foreign suspected traffickers outside of U.S. territory, in clear violation of international law? Isn’t that, in reality, fighting one crime with another?

And could it not be construed as an act of war?

That doesn’t seem to matter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said during a visit to Ecuador that the U.S. will “blow up” foreign crime groups if necessary, possibly in collaboration with other countries:

“Now they’re gonna help us find these people and blow them up, if that’s what it takes.” [Ione Wells, BBC, September 4, 2025.]

*. *. *

Setting aside the multiple ongoing international headaches, Trump seems also to have declared war on his own country.

When he sent the National Guard into Los Angeles, he alleged that it was to support local law enforcement in defending against massive riots — which turned out to be scattered confrontations that the local and state authorities said were spotty flare-ups that were well under control.

And in D.C., when Trump rode past a homeless encampment in McPherson Square, he decided that Washington was in the throes of a devastating crime wave that needed to be cleaned up — not by increasing the resources of the D.C. Police Department, but again by sending in the military. Over 2,000 National Guard “reinforcements” have found themselves in the nation’s capital with so much time on their hands, they’ve been kept busy cleaning up trash and tending the many city parks. And why?

Because there is no devastating crime wave in D.C. In fact, violent crime in the city has been down by about 20% over the same period last year.

*. *. *

Still, not to be discouraged by court rulings and massive civilian protests against his unconstitutional misuse of the military, Trump has now turned his attention to — and declared war on — Chicago.

Having already announced plans to begin a major immigration enforcement operation in the nation’s third-largest city, Trump issued this unhinged statement in a social media post:

“I love the smell of deportations in the morning … Chicago about [sic] to find out why it’s called the Department of WAR.” [Samantha Waldenberg, CNN, September 6, 2025.]

To which Illinois’ Governor J.B. Pritzker replied in a post on X:

“The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city. This is not a joke. This is not normal. Donald Trump isn’t a strongman, he’s a scared man. Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.” [Id.]

Yes, folks . . . he’s declared war on his own country.

*. *. *

But hold on — what was that about a “Department of War”? When did that happen?

Actually, it’s not official; that can only be codified by an Act of Congress, as was done in 1949 when the earlier wartime “Department of War” was renamed the “Department of Defense.” But current Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has been authorized — by one of Trump’s multitude of executive orders * — to style himself as Secretary of War. And he wasted no time in changing the name plate on his office door at the Pentagon.

* Executive Order: “Restoring the United States Department of War,” September 5, 2025, whitehouse.gov.

The Executive Order goes to great lengths to justify itself, in essence declaring that what was right for George Washington in the 18th century is good enough for Donald Trump some 236 years later:

“The Founders chose this name to signal our strength and resolve to the world. The name ‘Department of War,’ more than the current ‘Department of Defense,’ ensures peace through strength, as it demonstrates our ability and willingness to fight and win wars on behalf of our Nation at a moment’s notice, not just to defend. This name sharpens the Department’s focus on our own national interest and our adversaries’ focus on our willingness and availability to wage war to secure what is ours. I have therefore determined that this Department should once again be known as the Department of War and the Secretary should be known as the Secretary of War.”

*. *. *

Thus does Donald Trump “render unto Caesar” — i.e., himself — “that which is Caesar’s.”

Or what he, as America’s dictator, declares to be his.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/8/25