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Anton Jaeger claims parts of the security state, including ICE, have been ‘weaponised’ under Trump

The Ezra Klein Show · What ‘Hyperpolitics’ Explains About This Era | The Ezra Klein Show · September 8, 2026
Anton Jaeger claims parts of the security state, including ICE, have been ‘weaponised’ under Trump
The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein Show
What ‘Hyperpolitics’ Explains About This Era | The Ezra Klein Show
""There has been a weaponization, for example, of parts of the security state such as ICE. There has been an attempt to create a solid base of supporters that will remain with them also through the fact that there's now all kinds of state funding involved. And of course, these kind of paramilitary organizations do resemble the 20th century squads that we usually associate with fascist politics.""
In a discussion of whether MAGA resembles earlier mass far-right movements, historian Anton Jaeger claims there has been a “weaponization” of parts of the security state, naming ICE. He also argues that some organisations resemble 20th-century paramilitary squads associated with fascist politics, while cautioning that it remains unclear whether Trumpism can endure without Trump and without the GOP becoming a mass-membership party.
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The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein Show

What ‘Hyperpolitics’ Explains About This Era | The Ezra Klein Show

September 8, 2026 · 1h 7m · 2 Egleze moments
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