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"Christopher Krebs got fired because he did his job to protect our elections and stood up to Trump's conspiracy theories," tweeted Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) "This is a disgusting abuse of power by a weak and desperate president who undermines our democracy and national security." (Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
In a move immediately denounced as both desperate and dangerous,President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening fired the head of a federal agency after the official repeatedly debunked the president's lies, including by releasing a statement declaring the 2020 presidential election "the most secure in American history."
In an act that evoked comparisons with the actions of a third-rate despot, Trump sacked Christopher Krebs, director of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)--which the president created in 2018--for the "offense" of telling the truth about the election.
\u201cChristopher Krebs, the federal government's top election security official, has been fired by President Trump.\n\nKrebs had led a campaign to refute baseless, false claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election. https://t.co/sKxnJaw7EQ\u201d— NPR Politics (@NPR Politics) 1605665706
Reacting to rampant and blatantly false right-wing claims of "widespread voter fraud" during the election, Krebs' CISA issued a November 12 statement declaring, in part, that:
The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history... When states have close elections, many will recount ballots. All of the states with close results in the 2020 presidential race have paper records of each vote, allowing the ability to go back and count each ballot if necessary. This is an added benefit for security and resilience. This process allows for the identification and correction of any mistakes or errors. There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.
"While we know there are many unfounded claims and opportunities for misinformation about the process of our elections, we can assure you we have the utmost confidence in the security and integrity of our elections, and you should too," CISA concluded. "When you have questions, turn to elections officials as trusted voices as they administer elections."
The final straw for Krebs may have been a Tuesday morning tweet pushing back on claims of fraud by Trump and his allies, just hours before the president's campaign lost yet another legal challenge--its 25th so far, compared to one (overturned) win--to the validity of the electoral process.
\u201cICYMI: On allegations that election systems were manipulated, 59 election security experts all agree, "in every case of which we are aware, these claims either have been unsubstantiated or are technically incoherent." #Protect2020\u201d— Chris Krebs #Protect2020 (@Chris Krebs #Protect2020) 1605631541
When Trump announced Krebs' termination publicly via Twitter Tuesday evening--which made claims the platform flagged as "disputed"--the president accused Krebs of making "highly inaccurate" statements about the election. Critics of Trump, however, said it is clear that Krebs was fired simply for telling the truth in the face of the president's falsehoods.
\u201cThursday: Chris Krebs, who leads Cybersecurity at Homeland Security, issued a FACTUAL statement w/ state election officials: "There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised."\n\nToday: Trump fired him\n\nThis is chaos.\u201d— Kristen Clarke (@Kristen Clarke) 1605659169
As The Hill reported,
Krebs' removal will leave a tremendous void atop the federal agency that has served as a leading driver in the effort to secure U.S. elections and other cybersecurity priorities. He earned bipartisan acclaim during his time serving in the Trump administration and has been a trusted voice among security officials.
Reaction to Kreb's firing came fast and furious--and not just from Democrats.
"Christopher Krebs got fired because he did his job to protect our elections and stood up to Trump's conspiracy theories," tweeted Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) "This is a disgusting abuse of power by a weak and desperate president who undermines our democracy and national security."
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) also denounced the sacking. "By firing Mr. Krebs for simply doing his job," King said in a statement, "President Trump is inflicting severe damage on all Americans."
\u201cChris Krebs is a dedicated public servant who has helped build up new cyber capabilities in the face of swiftly-evolving dangers. By firing him for doing his job, President Trump is harming all Americans \u2013 who rely on CISA\u2019s defenses, even if they don\u2019t know it. My statement:\u201d— Senator Angus King (@Senator Angus King) 1605659124
Rep. Lloyd Dogett (D-Texas) said the public firing of Krebs--who he called a "truthtelleter--was in the "typical style" of Trump, riddled with "corrosive, undemocratic, dangerous lies."
Here's a sampling of some of the bipartisan condemnation of Trump's malevolent move:
\u201cTrump fired a government official for telling the truth so he can accelerate his lying about the election. Chris Krebs didn\u2019t deserve to be fired.\u201d— Ron Wyden (@Ron Wyden) 1605663187
"The Trump administration just fired Chris Krebs," tweeted Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). "I know this guy. He is in charge of protecting our critical infrastructure--including elections--from cyberattacks. He did his job. He did it without fear or favor. To use all caps like our outgoing President likes to do: OUTRAGE."
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
In a move immediately denounced as both desperate and dangerous,President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening fired the head of a federal agency after the official repeatedly debunked the president's lies, including by releasing a statement declaring the 2020 presidential election "the most secure in American history."
In an act that evoked comparisons with the actions of a third-rate despot, Trump sacked Christopher Krebs, director of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)--which the president created in 2018--for the "offense" of telling the truth about the election.
\u201cChristopher Krebs, the federal government's top election security official, has been fired by President Trump.\n\nKrebs had led a campaign to refute baseless, false claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election. https://t.co/sKxnJaw7EQ\u201d— NPR Politics (@NPR Politics) 1605665706
Reacting to rampant and blatantly false right-wing claims of "widespread voter fraud" during the election, Krebs' CISA issued a November 12 statement declaring, in part, that:
The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history... When states have close elections, many will recount ballots. All of the states with close results in the 2020 presidential race have paper records of each vote, allowing the ability to go back and count each ballot if necessary. This is an added benefit for security and resilience. This process allows for the identification and correction of any mistakes or errors. There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.
"While we know there are many unfounded claims and opportunities for misinformation about the process of our elections, we can assure you we have the utmost confidence in the security and integrity of our elections, and you should too," CISA concluded. "When you have questions, turn to elections officials as trusted voices as they administer elections."
The final straw for Krebs may have been a Tuesday morning tweet pushing back on claims of fraud by Trump and his allies, just hours before the president's campaign lost yet another legal challenge--its 25th so far, compared to one (overturned) win--to the validity of the electoral process.
\u201cICYMI: On allegations that election systems were manipulated, 59 election security experts all agree, "in every case of which we are aware, these claims either have been unsubstantiated or are technically incoherent." #Protect2020\u201d— Chris Krebs #Protect2020 (@Chris Krebs #Protect2020) 1605631541
When Trump announced Krebs' termination publicly via Twitter Tuesday evening--which made claims the platform flagged as "disputed"--the president accused Krebs of making "highly inaccurate" statements about the election. Critics of Trump, however, said it is clear that Krebs was fired simply for telling the truth in the face of the president's falsehoods.
\u201cThursday: Chris Krebs, who leads Cybersecurity at Homeland Security, issued a FACTUAL statement w/ state election officials: "There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised."\n\nToday: Trump fired him\n\nThis is chaos.\u201d— Kristen Clarke (@Kristen Clarke) 1605659169
As The Hill reported,
Krebs' removal will leave a tremendous void atop the federal agency that has served as a leading driver in the effort to secure U.S. elections and other cybersecurity priorities. He earned bipartisan acclaim during his time serving in the Trump administration and has been a trusted voice among security officials.
Reaction to Kreb's firing came fast and furious--and not just from Democrats.
"Christopher Krebs got fired because he did his job to protect our elections and stood up to Trump's conspiracy theories," tweeted Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) "This is a disgusting abuse of power by a weak and desperate president who undermines our democracy and national security."
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) also denounced the sacking. "By firing Mr. Krebs for simply doing his job," King said in a statement, "President Trump is inflicting severe damage on all Americans."
\u201cChris Krebs is a dedicated public servant who has helped build up new cyber capabilities in the face of swiftly-evolving dangers. By firing him for doing his job, President Trump is harming all Americans \u2013 who rely on CISA\u2019s defenses, even if they don\u2019t know it. My statement:\u201d— Senator Angus King (@Senator Angus King) 1605659124
Rep. Lloyd Dogett (D-Texas) said the public firing of Krebs--who he called a "truthtelleter--was in the "typical style" of Trump, riddled with "corrosive, undemocratic, dangerous lies."
Here's a sampling of some of the bipartisan condemnation of Trump's malevolent move:
\u201cTrump fired a government official for telling the truth so he can accelerate his lying about the election. Chris Krebs didn\u2019t deserve to be fired.\u201d— Ron Wyden (@Ron Wyden) 1605663187
"The Trump administration just fired Chris Krebs," tweeted Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). "I know this guy. He is in charge of protecting our critical infrastructure--including elections--from cyberattacks. He did his job. He did it without fear or favor. To use all caps like our outgoing President likes to do: OUTRAGE."
In a move immediately denounced as both desperate and dangerous,President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening fired the head of a federal agency after the official repeatedly debunked the president's lies, including by releasing a statement declaring the 2020 presidential election "the most secure in American history."
In an act that evoked comparisons with the actions of a third-rate despot, Trump sacked Christopher Krebs, director of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)--which the president created in 2018--for the "offense" of telling the truth about the election.
\u201cChristopher Krebs, the federal government's top election security official, has been fired by President Trump.\n\nKrebs had led a campaign to refute baseless, false claims about voter fraud in the 2020 election. https://t.co/sKxnJaw7EQ\u201d— NPR Politics (@NPR Politics) 1605665706
Reacting to rampant and blatantly false right-wing claims of "widespread voter fraud" during the election, Krebs' CISA issued a November 12 statement declaring, in part, that:
The November 3rd election was the most secure in American history... When states have close elections, many will recount ballots. All of the states with close results in the 2020 presidential race have paper records of each vote, allowing the ability to go back and count each ballot if necessary. This is an added benefit for security and resilience. This process allows for the identification and correction of any mistakes or errors. There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised.
"While we know there are many unfounded claims and opportunities for misinformation about the process of our elections, we can assure you we have the utmost confidence in the security and integrity of our elections, and you should too," CISA concluded. "When you have questions, turn to elections officials as trusted voices as they administer elections."
The final straw for Krebs may have been a Tuesday morning tweet pushing back on claims of fraud by Trump and his allies, just hours before the president's campaign lost yet another legal challenge--its 25th so far, compared to one (overturned) win--to the validity of the electoral process.
\u201cICYMI: On allegations that election systems were manipulated, 59 election security experts all agree, "in every case of which we are aware, these claims either have been unsubstantiated or are technically incoherent." #Protect2020\u201d— Chris Krebs #Protect2020 (@Chris Krebs #Protect2020) 1605631541
When Trump announced Krebs' termination publicly via Twitter Tuesday evening--which made claims the platform flagged as "disputed"--the president accused Krebs of making "highly inaccurate" statements about the election. Critics of Trump, however, said it is clear that Krebs was fired simply for telling the truth in the face of the president's falsehoods.
\u201cThursday: Chris Krebs, who leads Cybersecurity at Homeland Security, issued a FACTUAL statement w/ state election officials: "There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised."\n\nToday: Trump fired him\n\nThis is chaos.\u201d— Kristen Clarke (@Kristen Clarke) 1605659169
As The Hill reported,
Krebs' removal will leave a tremendous void atop the federal agency that has served as a leading driver in the effort to secure U.S. elections and other cybersecurity priorities. He earned bipartisan acclaim during his time serving in the Trump administration and has been a trusted voice among security officials.
Reaction to Kreb's firing came fast and furious--and not just from Democrats.
"Christopher Krebs got fired because he did his job to protect our elections and stood up to Trump's conspiracy theories," tweeted Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) "This is a disgusting abuse of power by a weak and desperate president who undermines our democracy and national security."
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) also denounced the sacking. "By firing Mr. Krebs for simply doing his job," King said in a statement, "President Trump is inflicting severe damage on all Americans."
\u201cChris Krebs is a dedicated public servant who has helped build up new cyber capabilities in the face of swiftly-evolving dangers. By firing him for doing his job, President Trump is harming all Americans \u2013 who rely on CISA\u2019s defenses, even if they don\u2019t know it. My statement:\u201d— Senator Angus King (@Senator Angus King) 1605659124
Rep. Lloyd Dogett (D-Texas) said the public firing of Krebs--who he called a "truthtelleter--was in the "typical style" of Trump, riddled with "corrosive, undemocratic, dangerous lies."
Here's a sampling of some of the bipartisan condemnation of Trump's malevolent move:
\u201cTrump fired a government official for telling the truth so he can accelerate his lying about the election. Chris Krebs didn\u2019t deserve to be fired.\u201d— Ron Wyden (@Ron Wyden) 1605663187
"The Trump administration just fired Chris Krebs," tweeted Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). "I know this guy. He is in charge of protecting our critical infrastructure--including elections--from cyberattacks. He did his job. He did it without fear or favor. To use all caps like our outgoing President likes to do: OUTRAGE."
"This is a massive win for justice and the rule of law," said one Democratic congresswoman. "Now Trump must comply."
This is a breaking news story... Please check back for possible updates...
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday issued a ruling with no noted dissents affirming a federal judge's order compelling the Trump administration to enable the stateside return of Kilmar Abrego García, a Salvadoran man wrongfully deported to a notorious prison in his native country.
"The rule of law won today," said Andrew Rossman, one of Abrego García's lawyers. "Time to bring him home."
Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in Thursday's unsigned order that the Trump administration must "facilitate and effectuate" Abrego García's release from custody "and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador."
"The intended scope of the term 'effectuate' in the district court's order is, however, unclear, and may exceed the district court's authority," Sotomayor added. "The district court should clarify its directive, with due regard for the deference owed to the executive branch in the conduct of foreign affairs."
Last week, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis gave the Trump administration until Monday April 7 to return Abrego García, who was deported last month to the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) super-maximum security prison in central El Salvador after the government claimed without credible evidence that he was a gang member.
"Defendants seized Abrego Garcia without any lawful authority; held him in three separate domestic detention centers without legal basis; failed to present him to any immigration judge or officer; and forcibly transported him to El Salvador in direct contravention" of immigration law, she wrote.
A panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to stay Xinis' order, with one judge on the tribunal writing, "The United States government has no legal authority to snatch a person who is lawfully present in the United States off the street and remove him from the country without due process."
The panel refuted the Trump administration's assertion that it could not return Albrego García, calling the government's argument "that the federal courts are powerless to intervene... unconscionable."
However, on Monday Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily blocked Xinis' order just before the midnight deadline pending review by all nine justices.
Abrego García's legal team argued that their client was the victim of a "Kafkaesque mistake." Among the so-called evidence the government used to claim he is a member of the MS-13 criminal gang was a Chicago Bulls hat and hoodie he wore, and a snitch's tip. The Trump administration subsequently admitted in a March 31 court filing that Albrego Garcia's deportation was an "administrative error" and an "oversight."
Before he was deported, Abrego Garcia, 29, lived in Maryland with his wife, Jennifer Stefania Vasquez Sura, a U.S. citizen; their autistic, nonverbal 5-year-old child; and two children from Vasquez Sura's previous relationship. His lawyers said he left El Salvador to escape the then-endemic gang violence there.
Advocates for Albrego García welcomed the high court's order, with Congressman Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) writing on the social media site Bluesky that the justices "did the right thing."
"This is about the rule of law and due proces," he added. "Kilmar Abrego García should be reunited with his family."
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said: "This is a massive win for justice and the rule of law. Now Trump must comply."
"Controversial speech is not illegal, and political speech that criticizes the Israeli government or U.S. foreign policy is constitutionally protected," said the NYCLU's interim legal director.
An attorney for former Columbia University student organizer Mahmoud Khalil said Thursday that a memo submitted to an immigration judge shows that the U.S. government "is clearly going after Mahmoud and persecuting him for exercising his First Amendment rights."
"After a month of hiding the ball since Mahmoud's late-night unjust arrest in New York and taking him away to a remote detention center in Louisiana, immigration authorities have finally admitted that they have no case whatsoever against him," the lawyer, Marc Van Der Hout, said in a statement about a two-page memo from the U.S. Deparment of State that was published by The Associated Press.
Plainclothes federal agents accosted Khalil, a green-card holder who finished his graduate studies at Columbia last year, and his pregnant wife—Noor Abdalla, a U.S. citizen—at their building in New York City on March 8 and took him into custody. Abdalla has said that "this felt like a kidnapping because it was," and Khalil calls himself a "political prisoner."
As Van Der Hout explained Thursday: "The government has charged Mahmoud with a rarely used provision of the immigration laws targeting the deportation of even lawful permanent residents like Mahmoud—but Secretary of State Marco Rubio has provided no proof or evidence that these charges bear any viability against Mahmoud. Further, Secretary Rubio has shown that this is merely about targeting Mahmoud's free speech rights about Palestine."
"If anything, this document only underscores the startling escalation of Trump's war on dissent and efforts to remove people who disagree with him or U.S. policy."
The AP noted that "a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, did not respond to questions about whether it had additional evidence against Khalil, writing in an emailed statement, 'DHS did file evidence, but immigration court dockets are not available to the public.'"
Rubio's memo was submitted to Judge Jamee Comans ahead of an immigration court hearing scheduled for Friday in Jena, Louisiana—and after the judge said earlier this week that the federal government "either can provide sufficient evidence or not," and "if he's not removable, I'm going to terminate this case."
The memo suggests campus protests against the U.S.-backed Israeli assault on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip were inherently discriminatory against Jewish people, stating that Rubio determined the activities and presence of Khalil and another lawful permanent resident whose name is redacted "would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences and would compromise a compelling U.S. foreign policy interest."
"These determinations are based on information... regarding the participation and roles of [redacted] and Khalil in antisemitic protests and disruptive activities, which fosters a hostile environment for Jewish students in the United States," the memo continues. "The public actions and continued presence of [redacted] and Khalil in the United States undermine U.S. policy to combat antisemitism around the world and in the United States, in addition to efforts to protect Jewish students from harassment and violence in the United States."
Van Der Hout said that "an immigration judge would have to find that the secretary of state has 'reasonable ground' to believe that the immigrant's presence or activities in the U.S. 'would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences,' and that his presence—though he has only engaged in lawful conduct that is protected by the First Amendment—'compromise[s] a compelling United States foreign policy interest,' which purportedly justifies the government's ability to override the U.S. Constitution's free speech clause. But Rubio cites no real foreign policy issues or evidence whatsoever, and it is critically important to note that the U.S. government is always constrained by the Constitution, regardless of what its officials might think."
"The two-page memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press, does not allege any criminal conduct by Khalil" "Rather, Rubio wrote Khalil could be expelled for his beliefs." Free this man immediately. apnews.com/article/mahm...
[image or embed]
— Adil Haque (@adhaque.bsky.social) April 10, 2025 at 2:13 PM
In addition to Van Der Hout's firm, Khalil is represented by Dratel & Lewis, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), the Creating Law Enforcement Accountability & Responsibility (CLEAR) project, New York University Immigrants' Rights Clinic, and the national, New Jersey, and New York arms of the ACLU.
Molly Biklen, interim legal director at the NYCLU, said that Rubio's memo "underscores that the government has ripped Mahmoud Khalil from his home and nine-months pregnant wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla, solely because it disagrees with his speech. Controversial speech is not illegal, and political speech that criticizes the Israeli government or U.S. foreign policy is constitutionally protected."
The New York Times reported earlier this week that under President Donald Trump, nearly 300 students have had visas revoked and could face deportation. Biklen said that "if anything, this document only underscores the startling escalation of Trump's war on dissent and efforts to remove people who disagree with him or U.S. policy. It's nothing more than a naked attack on all of our free speech rights."
Khalil's immigration case is occurring alongside a federal court battle in New Jersey, where his lawyers are arguing that he has been unlawfully detained. Referencing the latter proceedings, CCR staff attorney Samah Sisay said that the Rubio memo "shows that the secretary of state's determination that Mr. Khalil is deportable is based solely on his free speech activities as he has alleged in his habeas litigation."
"The government has not stated any legitimate foreign policy interest that is negatively impacted by Mr. Khalil but instead erroneously attributes prejudiced views to him for participating in the student encampment at Columbia University and speaking out against the United States' support of Israel's genocide in Gaza," Sisay added. "The government has not met its burden, and Mr. Khalil should be released."
"The Milei government has picked a fight with workers and pensioners, and now they will feel the full force of organized labor," said one union leader.
Increasingly fed up with economic policies under which poverty and inflation have soared while vital social services, wages, and the peso have taken huge hits, disaffected Argentinians took to the streets of cities across the South American nation Wednesday for the third general strike of right-wing President Javier Milei's tumultuous 16-month presidency.
Led by the General Confederation of Labor (CGT)—an umbrella group of Argentinian unions—the "paro general," or general stoppage, drew workers, the unemployed, pensioners, educators, students, and others affected by Milei's severe austerity measures and his administration's plans for more deep cuts. Demonstrations continued throughout Thursday.
"In the face of intolerable social inequality and a government that ignores calls for better wages and a dignified standard of living for all, the workers are going on strike," CGT explained ahead of the action.
Airlines canceled hundreds of flights as air traffic controllers and other airport workers joined the strike; many schools, banks, and other offices shut down; and ports, some public transport, and other services ground to a halt.
"The only thing the administration has brought is a wave of layoffs across state agencies, higher poverty rates, and international debts, which are the biggest scam in Argentina's history," the Association of Airline Pilots (APA) said.
Rodolfo Aguiar, secretary general of the Association of State Workers (ATE), said Wednesday that "after this strike, they have to turn off the chainsaw; there's no room for more cuts," a reference to both Milei's ubiquitous campaign prop and his gutting of public programs upon which millions of Argentinians rely.
"Right now, the crisis Argentina is facing is worsening," Aguiar added, warning about government talks with the International Monetary Fund. "The rise in the dollar will quickly translate into food prices, and the new deal with the IMF is nothing more than more debt and more austerity measures."
Milei's government is nearing agreement on a $20 million IMF bailout, a deeply unpopular proposition in a country left reeling by the U.S.-dominated institution's missteps and intentional policies that benefit foreign investors while causing acute suffering for millions of everyday Argentinians. Argentina already owes $44 billion to the IMF.
"We already have experience as Argentinians that no agreement has been beneficial for the people," retiree and striker Rezo Mossetti told Agence France-Press in Buenos Aires Thursday, lamenting that his country keeps getting into "worse and worse" debt.
CGT decided to launch the general strike during a March 20 meeting that followed a pensioner-led March 12 protest outside the National Congress in Buenos Aires. After fringe elements including rowdy soccer fans known as "barrabravas" joined the protests and committed acts of violence and vandalism, police responded by attacking demonstrators with "less-lethal" weapons including water cannons and tear gas. A gas canister struck freelance photojournalist Pablo Grillo in the head, causing a severe brain injury that required urgent surgery.
This, after Argentinian Security Minister Patricia Bullrich invoked controversial measure empowering more aggressive use of force against protesters and rescinding a ban on police use of tear gas canisters. The Security Ministry also filed a criminal complaint dubiously accusing organizers of the March 12 protest of sedition.
Milei and his supporters have portrayed the general strike as a treasonous assault on the fragile Argentinian economy and those taking part in the day of action as lazy and jobless.
When Clarín, the country's largest newspaper, cited a study by the Argentine University of Enterprise claiming that the general strike would cost the national economy around $185 million per day, University of Buenos Aires professor Sergio Wischñevsky retorted: "Very revealing. It means that's the magnitude of the wealth workers produce every day. It's the best argument to stop ignoring workers."
As he has done with past protests against his rule, Milei has also framed the general strike as "an attack against the republic" and repeated his threat that police would "crack down" on demonstrators.
Orwellian use of state infrastructure by Milei's "anarcho-capitalist" gvmnt. in Argentina. As the 36 hr. general strike begins, signs & loudspeakers at train stations across Buenos Aires read: "Attack against the republic! The syndicalist caste punishes millions of Argentines who want to work."
[image or embed]
— Batallon Bakunin ( @batallonbakunin.bsky.social) April 10, 2025 at 4:11 AM
General strikers largely shrugged off the threats of police violence and state repression.
"The right to strike is a worker right and I think there has to be more strikes because the situation with this government is unsustainable," Hugo Velazuez, a 62-year-old worker striking in Buenos Aires, told Reuters.
While the Argentinian mainstream media's coverage of the general strike was largely muted, images posted by independent progressive media showed parts of central Buenos Aires appearing practically empty.
Workers around the world showed solidarity with striking Argentinians.
"The Milei government has picked a fight with workers and pensioners, and now they will feel the full force of organized labor," said Paddy Crumlin, president of the London-based International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), which boasts nearly 20 million members in 677 unions in 149 nations. "The international trade union movement stands ready to fight back with our Argentine comrades. We will not rest until these attacks on workers' rights are defeated."
ITF noted that various sectors of Argentina's transportation sector "are under direct threat of privatization," including the national commercial airline, Aerolíneas Argentinas, the National Highway Board, and the Argentinian Merchant Marine.
Milei—a self-described anarcho-capitalist who was elected in November 2023 on a wave of populist revulsion at the status quo—campaigned on a platform of repairing the moribund economy, tackling inflation, reducing poverty, and dismantling the state. He made wild promises including dollarizing Argentina's economy and abolishing the central bank.
However, the realities of leading South America's second-largest economy have forced Milei's administration to abandon or significantly curtail key agenda items, leading to accusations of neoliberalism and betrayal from the right and hypocrisy and rank incompetence from the left. According to most polling, Milei's approval rating has fallen from net positive to negative in just a few months.
Particularly galling to many left-of-center Argentinians is Milei's cozying up to far-right figures around the world, especially U.S. President Donald Trump.
Andrew Kennis, a Rutgers University media studies professor specializing in Latin America, noted similarities between the protests in Argentina and anti-Trump demonstrations in the United States.
"It's no coincidence that 5.2 million people were in the streets in all 50 states just this past Saturday and that the U.S. is now catching up with the mass resistance that's long been going on in Argentina," Kennis told Common Dreams Thursday.
Kennis—who this week published a deep dive on Milei's "destructive chainsaw theory" in Common Dreams—added that in the cases of both Milei and Trump, "there was no real honeymoon period, as there almost always is" for most new presidencies.
"In both countries, people were in the streets pretty damned fast and furiously," he added.