The progressive organizer Saikat Chakrabarti, who is running against U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi for the House seat she has held since 1987, faced a mixed response during a recent CNN panel discussion. The conversation centered on the Trump administration’s National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 (NSPM-7), which one journalist described as a “declaration of war” on political opponents.
Chakrabarti participated in the panel with author and historian Max Boot, journalist Bata Ungar-Sargon, commentator Keith Boykin, and former Bush administration spokesperson Pete Seat, moderated by Sara Sidner. The discussion initially focused on events such as the No Kings rallies, racist texts linked to a Trump nominee, and ICE raids across the country. It then shifted to the administration’s strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea, which it claims are targeting drug trafficking but have resulted in numerous deaths.
Chakrabarti criticized the policy, noting that Vice President JD Vance acknowledged some of the vessels could be fishing boats. He raised concerns about the administration’s practice of labeling individuals as “narco-terrorists” without evidence, suggesting this reflects an effort to unilaterally define terrorism. He argued that this approach could lead to the targeting of political dissidents.
Trump’s broader strategy, according to Chakrabarti, includes designating groups as terrorists. This was exemplified by his September executive order that labeled “antifa” as a domestic terrorist organization, despite no legal basis for such a classification. Shortly after, NSPM-7 was issued, outlining a strategy to investigate and disrupt left-wing and anti-fascist organizations, with the stated aim of preventing political violence.
The memo has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers, with over 30 signing a letter condemning its implications. However, it has received limited coverage in corporate media. During the panel, Chakrabarti expressed concern that the memo could criminalize anti-capitalist or anti-Christian speech, and he questioned whether it was appropriate to divert law enforcement resources away from drug and human trafficking to target ideological dissent.
When he posed these questions to the other panelists, none responded, and Seat appeared disengaged. Sidner then moved the discussion to a commercial break, humorously stating, “We will answer that question, coming up.” Upon returning, the conversation shifted to topics unrelated to the memo, prompting commentary from critics who suggested the segment had been abruptly ended.
Ken Klippenstein, a journalist tracking mentions of NSPM-7 in the press, noted that while the memo initially received little attention, coverage has begun to increase. On Tuesday, he reported that CNN aired a second segment discussing the memo, signaling a potential shift in media coverage.
Former national security official Miles Taylor compared the implications of NSPM-7 to hypothetical scenarios involving past administrations, such as labeling anti-war activists as associated with extremist groups. These comparisons highlight the growing concern over the memo’s potential impact on civil liberties and political discourse.
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