Members of the National Guard stand guard outside the Metropolitan Detention Center, MDC in downtown Los Angeles, California on June 8, 2025. Frederic J. Brown, AFP 

"These are not protesters, they are troublemakers and insurrectionists," posted US President Donald Trump on his own Truth Social platform. Elon Musk, Trump's former right-hand, DOGE-man, seconded the post by screenshotting and reposting it on his platform, X.

This has been the conservative narrative since people in Los Angeles began protesting against the Trump Administration's immigration policy in early June. Some say Trump is manufacturing a crisis for political gain, and psychology studies suggest it may well work. 

Misinformation to sway people's thinking

Trump has compared images of burning cars, and demonstrators waving Mexican flags, to a "foreign invasion."

He has deployed the National Guard against protestors — the first time a US President has bypassed state governments to do so since 1965. Police have hit journalists with rubber bullets — either directly or indirectly. Such drama, say psychologists, can feed a narrative of a state of emergency.

But is it true? Critics have said Trump is manufacturing a crisis around the LA immigration protests for political gain.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, for example, described a series of raids on homes and vehicles as a provocation by the White House.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom called Trump's actions a step toward authoritarianism and a "brazen abuse of power."

Rather than turning people away from Trump, leading psychology research suggests this authoritarianism may increase his popularity — at least among voters who feel threatened by the idea of social breakdown.

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A man stands in front of a row of California National Guard members and waves a combination US and Mexican flag during ongoing protests in response to federal immigration operations outside the Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles, on June 12, 2025. Robyn Beck, AFP 

Social breakdown fuels desire for authoritarian leaders

Research has found that people who perceive society is unstable and chaotic are more likely to be receptive to authoritarian leaders who promise order, control, and certainty.  

One study among German and US participants found that a sense of societal instability can create feelings of moral ambiguity, alienation and disconnection and "a sense that one cannot influence the political process," said the study's lead author Jasper Neerdaels, a social psychologist at Katholieke Universiteit in Leuven, Belgium.

"Submitting to [sic] authoritarian leadership may mean giving up freedom, but it also promises psychological relief from [the] uncertainty. Authoritarian regimes provide clear hierarchies, social rules, and the guidance of a strong leader," Neerdaels told DW.

Another study published in May 2025 suggested that people were more likely to favor dominant, authoritarian leaders during times of conflict.

The researchers analyzed data from 25 countries and found that the presence of intergroup conflict increases people's preferences for dominant leaders.

"We [found] that participants who tend to see the world as more conflict-ridden also express stronger preferences for dominant leaders," said the study's lead author Lasse Laustsen from Aarhus University in Denmark.

In their analysis, they argued that humans evolved psychological systems to prioritize strong leadership when faced with external threats.

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Engineered social breakdown boosts Trump's support

The situation around the current protests in LA appears to be in line with current psychology research: "There is evidence that the Trump administration and its supporters are exploiting these protests to create the perception that US society is falling apart," said Neerdaels.

"This makes sense because [a] perception of society breaking down can increase support for authoritarianism [and] the desire for a strong leader, who takes vigorous action," he said.

Polling data suggests that Trump's popularity among US voters is higher now than it was before the LA protests. RealClear Polling, which presents an average of 15 different pollsters, shows Trump's favorability at 47.3% on June 10, up from 45.1% at the end of April.

"The strategy of spreading narratives to increase the perception that society is breaking down is popular among far-right/authoritarian leaders across the world, also in Germany," said Neerdaels.

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How to reduce appetite for authoritarians? 

Psychological research does provide clues about how to reduce support for authoritarianism — by addressing the uncertainty caused by perceived social breakdown.

Studies suggest that reducing people's sense of fear and insecurity can help counteract the appetite for authoritarianism.

What also helps is better communication on the meaning and purpose of politics, said Neerdaels. For example, clarifying why political actions are taken, explaining policies, and highlighting the values that guide political decisions.

"Perhaps counterintuitively, when politicians openly express their own feelings of uncertainty, it might help people acknowledge and cope with their own uncertainty and thus decrease their desire for a strong leader," said Neerdaels.

The challenge now, he said, is how to push back against the misinformation which fuels social instability, and inform the public about the reality of the LA protests.

This, said Neerdaels, was not an easy task: "Feelings of uncertainty are pervasive and probably unavoidable," especially when fueled by social media.

Edited by: Zulfikar Abbany