Trump's Fascist Playbook: Is America on the Brink of Totalitarianism?

2025-08-14 00:00:23.545

A key chapter in the fascist playbook involves convincing the public of an existential threat to justify ceding individual rights to a strong leader. This is precisely what Donald Trump is doing. He consistently creates a sense of crisis, citing fabricated dangers like "wokeness" and unauthorized immigrants, to justify his actions and expand his authority. The recent federal takeover of the Washington DC police department is a prime example. Trump claims a surge in violent crime, despite statistics showing crime at historic lows. Similarly, he paints a grim picture of other major US cities while ignoring data showing decreases in crime. Trump's disregard for facts extends to firing officials who report statistics contradicting his narrative. His plan to expand ICE into the largest federal law enforcement agency further demonstrates his ambition for absolute control. The author argues that Trump's goal is not just to make people believe his lies, but to erode faith in truth itself, a critical element in undermining democracy. The solution lies in resisting fear, refusing to believe the lies, and upholding the importance of truth.