Patrick’s Politics: American fascism is upon us

We have now crossed the “100 days” threshold of Donald Trump’s second term. After much handwringing and questioning over how far Trump has pushed the government to its limits, it is past time to admit the obvious: fascism is here, jammed like a knife into the roots of America, and it’s not leaving anytime soon.  

The first aim of fascism, naturally, is to make its establishment possible and create conditions necessary for the rule of law to disappear. In Trump’s first term, he laid the groundwork for this radical transformation of government. He began with the development of his cult of personality, as many aspiring dictators have done before, and told the American people they would be great again, if only they put their trust in him. “I alone can fix it,” said Trump, and the Republican base believed his words.  

Across his political career, Trump has always hearkened back to a supposed Golden Age of America. This is a road well-paved by the fascists of the past century, who all told their citizens that their country was collapsing and needed drastic action. But Trump has put a significantly American sheen on the concept, using our distinctly media-driven society to push his message of patriotism and nationalism. In doing so, Trump was able to equate his own future with America’s, at least to his followers. 

Jan. 6, 2021 was a perfect example of this intertwinement. Trump, having convinced many of his devoted supporters that the election had been rigged in the Democrats’ favor, incited an insurrection at the Capitol. The gravity of this event, more than four years later, still rings deeply in our consciousness. This was the first time the peaceful transfer of power had been disrupted, supposedly in service to making America great again. Instead, it shattered one of our nation’s most treasured norms.  

Thus, in Trump’s second term, the way has been prepared for fascism. What was once partisan rhetoric has turned into autocratic action, especially when it comes to immigration. From the start, he has blamed immigrants coming from the southern border for the nation’s ills, arguing that the country is being “poisoned” by the influx. He has twisted around a central idea of America—the proverbial “melting pot”—and turned the fervor of his base solidly against immigration, promising mass deportations. 

Now, as even United States citizens are being taken out of the country, including a child with stage four cancer, we must recognize that this was never about legitimate criticisms of too much immigration. Instead, Trump has found his enemy “other,” the people he will blame for ruining the country, no matter how untrue it is.  

As part of Trump’s mission to get rid of immigrants, the administration has used Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to take people, many of whom are here legally, off the streets and attempt to deport them. In the cases of students like Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturk, these arrests were also explicitly political in nature, but many others have been arrested seemingly at random, often disappearing from records and suffering through bad conditions at ICE detention centers. , but many others have been arrested seemingly at random, often disappearing from records and suffering through bad conditions at ICE detention centers.  

The worst place to be taken is CECOT, the infamous megaprison of El Salvador, where Trump has ferried deportees. One such person we know of, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, was deported there in error—a fact even the Trump administration admitted in court—leading the decidedly right-wing Supreme Court to order his return. Trump has made it quite clear he has no intention of heeding that order. 

Let us be clear that the Supreme Court is the law of the land, as it interprets the Constitution. Trump is in direct violation of the Constitution, and he knows this. In fact, this is a scenario he wants: the ability to simply ignore the rules and impose his own.  

In the same vein, Trump’s very visible toying with a third term—his organization is selling 2028 hats—also runs afoul of the nation’s founding document, but that hardly matters to him. All that he is concerned with is whether the Republican Party will still support him, and this is hardly a question, because Trump holds the GOP firmly in his grip. There are already efforts underway in the House from Republicans to codify a third Trump term into law.  

To fully embody the spirit of fascism, Trump has also attempted to turn the military into his personal service. He fired the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General C.Q Brown, in addition to purging six other high-ranking officials. This was ostensibly for the purpose of eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, but it also greatly helps for Trump to choose their successors. This way, he can—and has—pick people more loyal to him.  

At the same time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has emphasized the military’s newly supercharged focus on “warfighting” and emphasizing increased recruitment.  

Unfortunately, we have seen this tactic before in fascist countries; it is part of the process of militarizing a nation. In America, the military is now a symbol of aggressive patriotism, a way to expand the country’s influence.  

Fascism in America may not survive past however long Trump and his cult of personality casts a shadow. Yet it is here, emerging in plain sight, and we in the land of the free must recognize that our country has become less free, right in front of our eyes.