I am a US military veteran and former US foreign service officer who worked for USAID until the Trump Administration shuttered our Agency in 2025. After a lifetime of public service, my colleagues and I were attacked by the Administration, wrongly accused of being a “criminal organization” full of “worms” and “radical left lunatics,” so I know what it feels like for this Administration to use disinformation against you. Minnesotans are NOT “domestic terrorists,” just as USAID was NOT a “criminal organization.” The effects on USAID, while quite different than the current events in Minnesota, were devastating nonetheless….most USAID employees lost their livelihoods, some lost their lives (there were several suicides as a result of the abuse we received). Having lived and worked in numerous countries throughout my life, (many of which Trump calls “shitholes”), including several dictatorships, I know all too well what it feels like to live under a brutal regime that uses violence on its own people. I am absolutely devastated to see similar violence and disregard for humanity happening in America, but heartened to see so many Mighty Minnesotans take to the streets to fight back against the brutality through peaceful protests and support for your neighbors. We are a nation of immigrants, and immigrants are what make America great. Stay strong, Minnesota!!! We stand with you!!!