When The President’s Men Turn On The People

The Unsettling Now

The air in Chicago this week didn’t just carry the autumn chill. It carried the acrid sting of tear gas, a chemical cloud deployed not by a foreign enemy, but by our own federal agents against our own local police.

Imagine the scene. A multi-car pile-up, the screech of tires and twisted metal, a federal chase gone wrong on city streets. And then, the hiss of canisters. Pepper balls. Smoke grenades. Thirteen Chicago police officers, caught in the crossfire, choking on the same fumes as the protesters they were trying to manage.

A federal judge, her voice a mixture of disbelief and fury, now demands the enforcers wear body cameras, like unruly rookies. “I live in Chicago,” she said, her words dripping with indignation. “And I’m not blind.” She is forced to rein in a force that seems to have forgotten who it serves.

This isn’t a scene from some dystopian movie. This is America, October 2025. An elite federal agency, created to uphold the law, is now accused of breaking it with impunity, clashing with local authorities, and turning city streets into zones of confrontation. When the guardians of order become the agents of chaos, history holds a chilling lesson for us. It’s a story written in the blood and marble of ancient Rome.

The Echo in the Past

Two thousand years ago, they were the most elite soldiers in the Roman world: The Praetorian Guard. Their sole mission was to protect the Emperor, the living symbol of Roman power. They were the Secret Service of their day, handpicked for their loyalty, strength, and discipline.

But absolute power, held so close to the throne, began to corrupt. The protectors became the kingmakers. They were the power behind the purple robe, and they knew it. Their loyalty shifted from the man to the office, and then, to the highest bidder.

The ultimate betrayal came in the chaotic “Year of the Five Emperors,” 193 A.D. The Guard had just murdered the reform-minded Emperor Pertinax after only 87 days because he dared to try and clean up their corruption. With the emperor’s blood still staining the palace floors, they did the unthinkable.

They put the Roman Empire up for auction.

From the walls of their fortified camp, they announced the throne was for sale. Two wealthy Romans came to bid. One was the father-in-law of the dead emperor. The other was a senator named Didius Julianus. As the contemporary historian Cassius Dio wrote in disbelief, it was a “most disgraceful business… just as if it had been in some market or auction-room, both the city and its entire empire were auctioned off.”

The price started at 12,000 sestertii per soldier. It climbed to 20,000. Finally, in a desperate shout, Didius Julianus offered a staggering 25,000 sestertii for every man in the Guard. He bought the throne. He bought the empire.

The Ancient Warning

Didius Julianus’s reign lasted a mere 66 days. He couldn’t pay the fortune he had promised. The same guards who had installed him as emperor, the same men who had sold him the world, dragged him from the palace and cut his throat. His final words were a pathetic whimper: “But what evil have I done? Whom have I killed?”

He had killed faith. He had killed the idea that leadership was earned, not bought. The Praetorian Guard, once the symbol of the emperor’s security, had become the ultimate symbol of the state’s decay. They were a law unto themselves, an unaccountable force of armed men who saw the citizens they were meant to protect as mere pawns in their power games.

This is the ancient warning. When an elite force, created to enforce order, becomes unaccountable to the people and the local authorities, it ceases to be a guardian of the republic. It becomes a threat to it. The scenes in Chicago—of federal agents gassing local police, of a judge forced to intervene, of citizens caught in the middle—are a modern echo of that Roman decay.

It’s the chilling moment when the people start to fear their own protectors. It’s the moment the foundation of a society begins to crack.

5 Things You Can Do This Week To Prepare

History’s lesson is clear: when the center cannot hold, the smart and the prepared have the best chance of weathering the storm. The events in Chicago are a wake-up call. Here are five practical steps you can take this week to build your own resilience, inspired by the wisdom of our sister sites.

1. Fortify Your Pantry. The most basic level of security is knowing your family won’t go hungry. A government in chaos disrupts supply chains first. Don’t be caught empty-handed. Our friends at Survival Stronghold have a masterclass on the essential foods you need to stockpile. This isn’t about panic buying; it’s about smart, calm preparation. Discover the 37 foods you should hoard before a crisis here.
2. Declare Your Independence. The more you depend on fragile, centralized systems, the more vulnerable you are. Self-reliance is the ultimate freedom. The Self-Reliance Report is dedicated to helping you break free. Start by learning a new skill this week—whether it’s water purification, basic first aid, or off-grid communication. True power lies in not needing the system that is so clearly beginning to fail. Explore the path to true self-reliance here.
3. Grow Your Own Security. There is no more revolutionary act than planting a seed in a world of turmoil. A small garden provides more than just food; it provides peace of mind and a connection to something real. Homesteader Depot shows you how even a tiny patch of land can become a source of abundance. Don’t wait for the shelves to go bare. Learn how to start your own food-producing homestead here.
4. Take Control of Your Health. In a crisis, access to healthcare is one of the first luxuries to disappear. Your health is your responsibility. Freedom Health Daily is your resource for building a robust, resilient body that doesn’t depend on a failing system. Focus on natural immunity and preventative wellness. Reclaim your health freedom today.
5. Master Your Own Mind. The greatest battle is fought within. The 24/7 news cycle is designed to create anxiety and fear. Don’t let it consume you. Seven Holistics offers powerful, natural strategies to manage stress and maintain mental clarity in uncertain times. A calm mind makes better decisions. Find your peace in the storm here.