NSPM-7: Trump Administration's Crackdown on Dissent and Free Speech

National Security Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7)

• 📌 NSPM-7, a Presidential National Security Memorandum, is described as a sweeping, overarching strategy with a 3-year focus, distinct from more narrowly focused executive orders.
• 🎯 The memorandum directs federal law enforcement to focus on what is termed "radical violence" and "domestic terror networks."
• 🔍 Unlike traditional crime fighting, counterterrorism frameworks like NSPM-7 aim to preempt crimes before they occur by looking for "indicators."

Vague Indicators and Political Targeting

• ⚠️ The memorandum lists indicators of forthcoming political violence that are vague and broad, potentially describing millions of people.
• 🗣️ Examples of these indicators include "anti-Christian sentiment," "anti-Americanism," and "anti-traditional family values," which critics argue could encompass anyone not aligned with the MAGA agenda.
• 🎯 Steven Miller explicitly stated the order is an "all of government effort to go after... the political opposition."

Chilling Effects and Expanded Powers

• 📈 Sources in the FBI expect the order to double the number of people on the domestic terrorism watch list.
• 💸 The order directs the Treasury Department to monitor cash flow related to "threat indicators," prompting non-profits and organizations to change their behavior and communication to comply.
• 🔒 NSPM-7 authorizes Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTFs) to engage directly in law enforcement on US soil, bypassing Posse Comitatus restrictions that limit military involvement in domestic law enforcement.

Criminalizing Descent and Free Speech

• ⚖️ The memorandum is seen as a move to fully criminalize dissent, extending beyond actions to thoughts, building on precedents like the Patriot Act.
• 📢 Advocacy for Palestinian human rights has been increasingly smeared as terrorism, leading to investigations and job losses for critics of Israeli policy.
• 🚨 The scope of NSPM-7 is concerning because it allows for groups to be targeted based on loose definitions decided by Donald Trump.
• ✊ Members of Congress are circulating a letter to stop NSPM-7, highlighting that many people are unaware of its potential risks to rights and freedoms.