Is the U.S. under President Donald J. Trump rapidly moving toward fascism? Merriam-Webster defines fascism as “a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition.”
Fascism comes from the Latin word fasces for a bundle of wooden rods that usually included an axe blade. It symbolized power. Benito Mussolini used the symbol. “Fascist regimes like his required their citizens to be as unified as the tightly bound fasces,” according to Britannica.
The 14 Signs of Fascism in the United States
Is it hyperbole? What are the signs of growing fascism in the United States? Determining whether the nation is becoming fascist means looking at Umberto Eco’s essay, Ur-Fascism, which means “eternal fascism,” lists 14 features of fascism.
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The cult of tradition is the first feature
Trump likes to wax eloquently about traditional values. At a virtual event hosted by Latter-day Saints for Trump on October 13, 2024, Trump said that Judeo-Christian values are “essential to a healthy American society.” He also disparaged former Vice President Kamala Harris, who ran against him. “Kamala Harris gets, if she got four more years, she will continue this assault against our American heritage and against religion itself.”
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The rejection of modernism
Far-right conservatives present modern terms that represent rights for groups traditionally marginalized as harming American society. The Heritage Foundation crafted a playbook they called Project 2025. Kevin D. Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, wrote the foreword. He disparaged “the left,” claiming they are “threatening the tax-exempt status of churches and charities that reject woke progressivism.”
Roberts suggested that the “next conservative President” should delete the terms sexual orientation and gender identity, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), gender equality, and reproductive rights. The reason for deleting these terms is that they are used to “deprive Americans of their First Amendment rights.”
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Distrust of the intellectual world
Intellectuals are a convenient target for fascists. During Trump’s inaugural address, he said he would “end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life.” When he spoke to Congress in March, he proclaimed that Americans don’t want “wokeness” because it’s “trouble…bad.”
Roberts wrote that “corporate and political elites do not believe in the ideals to which our nation is dedicated—self-governance, the rule of law, and ordered liberty.” He further disparaged them by claiming they distrusted Americans and disdained the Constitution.
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Disagreement is treason
Trump disdains dissent, and so does his right-hand man, Elon Musk. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) visited Ukraine in early March and declared support for the country. “The safety of Ukraine is tied to the safety of the United States; that’s why I stand with Ukraine,” Kelly said. Musk labeled him a “traitor” in a post on X.
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An appeal against intruders or outsiders
Scapegoating immigrants is an old tradition in America. Trump has long railed against undocumented immigrants. During his remarks to Congress, he labeled them as “murderers, human traffickers, gang members, and other criminals.”
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Exploit social frustration
Capitalizing on any sense of social frustration the population feels is part of a fascist’s playbook. In his foreword to Project 2025, Roberts wrote, “Today, the American family is in crisis.” He then went on to mention that 40 percent of children in the U.S. are “born to unmarried mothers, including more than 70 percent of black children.” Adding in some racism appeals to white, Christian nationalists.
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Promote nationalism by appealing to xenophobia
Xenophobia is the “fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign,” according to Merriam-Webster. Trump has long used it as a means to foment the fear of foreigners that white, Christian nationalists fear, particularly those who are people of color. Trump mentioned the “criminals, killers, traffickers, and child predators who were allowed to enter our country under the open border policy of these people” during his recent Congressional address.
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Cultivate an us-against-them mentality
Would-be dictators need their followers to feel united, and one of the best ways to cultivate that feeling is by creating enemies. Not only did Trump use demeaning labels for undocumented immigrants, but he also disparaged Democrats. “I look at the Democrats in front of me, and I realize there is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy or to make them stand or smile or applaud,” he said.
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Life is lived through struggle, so enemies must be conjured
Enemies within are not enough for would-be dictators. There must be enemies without. Trump discussed tariffs during his Congressional address, mentioning the EU, China, Brazil, India, Mexico, and Canada.” He claimed they charge us tremendously higher tariffs than we charge them.” Trump has unleashed economic chaos with his draconian and mercurial global trade war.
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Convince people they need a ruler
The U.S. is a democracy with a constitution that contains a bill of rights. Americans cherish their rights, so they must be convinced they need a ruler. In February, the Trump Administration shared a post on X and Instagram about congestion pricing in Manhattan being dead and declared in all caps, “LONG LIVE THE KING!” The message contained a picture of Trump wearing a crown.
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Equate patriotism with fighting perceived enemies
Not only must a would-be dictator conjure enemies, but he must also link patriotism with fighting them. “Within hours of taking the oath of office, I declared a national emergency on our southern border — and I deployed the U.S. military and Border Patrol to repel the invasion of our country,” Trump proclaimed as he addressed Congress.
On March 15, the Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The law, invoked three times in the past, increases restrictions on Americans born in another country, including limiting free speech. It authorizes the president to deport immigrants while allowing them their arrest, imprisonment, and deportation during wartime. It also makes it illegal for American citizens to “print, utter, or publish…any false, scandalous, and malicious writing” about the government.
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Disdain for women
Disparaging women is a long tradition for those striving to be dictators. Example after example could be cited about Trump’s misogyny, which adversely affects society. An analysis by Resume Builder found that almost one in four hiring managers (24 percent) say women are less respected in the workplace since Trump took office. Twenty percent of companies analyzed have rolled back DEI initiatives, while 22 and 26 percent say there is less focus on hiring and promoting women, respectively.
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The leader pretends to be the voice of the entire population
Trump won the popular vote by only 1.5 percent, so he has gaslighted the nation, claiming that most Americans rally behind him. While addressing Congress, he described the election as “a mandate like has not been seen in many decades.” He claimed he “won the popular vote —by big numbers.”
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Speak Newspeak, invented by George Orwell in his novel “1984”
Numerous examples of Trump’s use of newspeak exist, as a perusal of Truth Social will show. He has called DEI “tyranny,” labeled the Wall Street Journal as “globalist,” and stated that the economic system is “broken.”
Resist Fascism
Resistance starts with coming out of denial. Don’t wait for MAGA hat-wearing people parading down the street like Nazi soldiers. By then, fascism in the United States will be too entrenched to fight without bloodshed. Instead, accept that Trump is moving our nation to fascism and resist. As Franklin Roosevelt warned in 1938, “fascism will grow in strength in our land” if democracy doesn’t “move forward as a living force.” We, the people, are that living force.
Photo by Mike Newbry on Unsplash
