Federal Troops’ Optics Trap

Deploying federal troops into opposition‑run cities forces a lose‑lose public narrative: resist visibly and look unstable, or acquiesce and concede militarized control. This dynamic can be exploited to validate a prewritten 'war on cities' storyline regardless of on‑the‑ground crime trends. — It clarifies how civil‑military shows of force can be used as political bear‑baiting, shaping media frames and public consent for expanded federal control.