Authoritarianism

June 14, 2025

In honor of the President’s birthday, the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, and Flag Day, I thought I would discuss the creeping, and often creepy, authoritarianism that is affecting our politics and our nation. After the killings in Minnesota of two Democratic politicians, some would say that authoritarianism is no longer creeping, but galloping. Democrats have been accused of lacking a coherent message that people can easily understand and digest. One of the reasons cited is that they use big words like authoritarianism, autocracy, oligarchy, and kleptocracy that only they understand. In fairness, Republicans use words like Communism and Socialism that they do not understand. I actually put the blame for not knowing these concepts on the educational system that has obviously let us down, but what do you expect when you put the Department of Education in the hands of Linda McMahon, who previously was a professional wrestling promoter? Professional wrestling is fake, like The Apprentice, and is where monosyllabic words go to die. She is currently using Elon Musk’s chainsaw to destroy the department before students learn what words like authoritarianism, autocracy, oligarchy, and kleptocracy mean, not to mention democracy. Here is a step-by-step process for creating an authoritarian regime.

Step One: Undermine Democratic Institutions. Trump frequently criticizes judges, who rule against him, calling them “so-called judges” and questioning their legitimacy. He discredits election results when they don’t suit him. He repeatedly makes false claims of widespread voter fraud, especially after losing the 2020 election, and he attempted to overturn the results with armed resistance. He challenges the rule of law. He often criticizes or attempts to influence the Department of Justice for personal or political gain, including pressuring DOJ officials to investigate his political opponents. He appointed a loyal sycophant, Pam Biondi, to run the DOJ after alleged pedophile, Matt Gaetz, couldn’t get approved.

Step Two: Undermine the press. He labels the press the “enemy of the people, calling unfavorable coverage “fake news,” and labeling journalists as enemies, a phrase often associated with authoritarian regimes. He restricts access and revokes credentials to news outlets, who refuse to obey him, the most obvious example being the punishment of the AP for refusing to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.

Step Three: Use government for personal gain. Trump was impeached (first time) for soliciting foreign interference in the 2020 election by pressuring Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son. He abuses the presidential pardon power to benefit political allies and loyalists, undermining the appearance of impartial justice, and demands political contributions and personal gifts in return. He grifts off of the public with an endless number of financial schemes.

Step Four: Use violence and intimidation. On January 6, 2011, Trump encouraged his supporters to go to the Capitol and “fight like hell” to overturn the election results, leading to a violent insurrection. He tolerates and encourages extremist groups. He refuses to explicitly condemn far-right or white supremacist groups, at times offering ambiguous or even supportive comments e.g., “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by,” and inviting White Nationalists to dine with him in the White House.

Step Five: Disregard democratic norms. Trump refuses to concede the 2020 election and falsely claims it was stolen, breaking with the peaceful transfer of power norm. He regularly prioritizes personal loyalty over institutional expertise in appointments, leading to purges of officials who contradicted him. He fired nearly 20 Inspectors General.

Step Six: Censor and Retaliate. He attempts to punish dissenting companies. He uses regulatory power and authority to punish companies that criticize or fact-check him e.g. Amazon. He retaliates against whistleblowers. He removed or publicly attacked whistleblowers and inspectors general who reported misconduct. He goes after educational institutions like Harvard, who refused his demands. He brought several law firms to their knees.

Step Seven: Militarize the Response to Civil Unrest. In June 2020, federal forces used tear gas to clear peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square for a Trump photo op at a church. Trump has sent unidentified federal agents into U.S. cities to suppress protests, raising alarm about accountability and overreach. Most recently, he sent in the National Guard and the Marines to quell a protest that was totally controllable by local law enforcement.

Step Eight: Detain Democratic Officials. There have been several disturbing incidents recently where Democratic officials have been detained for exercising their responsibilities as elected officials. Senator Padilla of California was detained for questioning Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The Democratic Mayor of Newark was arrested for “trespassing” at an ICE facility. Trump threatened to arrest Gov. Gavin Newsom of California. He has refused to call Democratic Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, to express his regrets over the recent shootings. He made fun of Nancy Pelosi’s husband, who was almost bludgeoned to death.

I could go on. The question is, “Can the country go on?”