Donald Trump has entered a new stage in his political fight. The first stage was mostly about silencing anyone who criticized him. He went after people he saw as enemies, not only Democrats who investigated him during his first term but also Republicans and even people he had once appointed, like John Bolton, if they later turned against him. He also targeted universities that spoke out about issues such as Israel’s actions in Palestine, racism in U.S. history, or diversity programs. In addition, he attacked the media, cutting funding for public outlets like PBS and NPR, while relying on friendly billionaires who own big news companies to keep criticism of him quiet.
Now he seems to be entering a second stage, one that is more aggressive and aimed at crushing all his political opponents, including the entire Democratic Party. He has said he would send troops into Democratic-run cities like Washington, D.C., Chicago, Memphis, and New Orleans, claiming crime is out of control even though statistics show crime has been going down. At the same time, he has been directing federal disaster aid only to Republican states he won, openly bragging about rewarding his supporters and punishing his opponents.
Trump has also been pressuring Republican-led states like Texas and Ohio to redraw election maps to give Republicans more seats in Congress. He has started calling Democrats “evil” and labeling the entire party as “radical left.” When Charlie Kirk was murdered, Trump quickly used the tragedy to attack Democrats and liberals, saying they are dangerous and must be defeated.
Stephen Miller, Trump’s close adviser, has been especially vocal in framing Democrats and government workers as part of a radical, destructive ideology. He describes them as people who hate family, faith, and tradition while glorifying criminals. He has promised that, under Trump, government power will be used to hunt down political enemies, strip them of money and influence, and imprison them if possible.
All of this comes at a time when Trump’s popularity is slipping. Recent polls show most Americans do not support his idea of sending troops into cities, and only a minority approve of his handling of the economy or cost of living. His plan seems to be to turn people’s frustrations into anger against Democrats, hoping to divide the country into two camps: those loyal to him and those against him. He wants to make supporting him equal to being patriotic.
But this strategy could backfire. Many Americans may see this new phase as proof of his dangerous, anti-democratic tendencies. Instead of gaining more followers, he may push even more people away.
Robert Reich, who wrote this analysis, believes Trump will ultimately fail. He encourages people to join upcoming nationwide protests against authoritarianism to show that America rejects one-man rule.
