Trump's Authoritarian Ambitions Face Stiff Resistance in Second Term
A little over a year into his second presidency, President Donald Trump has not succeeded in transforming America into an unadulterated authoritarian nightmare, but this is not due to a lack of effort. In January 2025, liberals feared the worst-case scenarios under the new Trump administration, predicting actions such as bringing false charges against political opponents, pressuring media to silence critics, deploying the military to suppress protests, and empowering immigration agents with unchecked authority. Remarkably, the president has attempted all these actions, yet pushback from the judiciary and civil society has either thwarted or constrained his assertions of dictatorial power.
Judicial and Civil Society Pushback Thwarts Authoritarian Moves
This week provided a vivid illustration of this dynamic, where Trump's tyrannical plots are met with resistance from America's citizens and constitutional order. On Tuesday, Trump's Justice Department sought to indict six Democratic lawmakers, including Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin, for exercising their First Amendment rights. The lawmakers had released a video last fall urging military and intelligence personnel to refuse illegal orders, a message that came months after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allegedly ordered an illegal attack on a Venezuelan fishing boat.
Trump declared on Truth Social that this constituted "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!" and reposted calls for their execution. Despite the Justice Department's loyalty to the president's whims, the grand jury refused to indict the so-called "seditious six," failing to meet even the low bar of "probable cause." This failure is part of a broader pattern, with similar attempts to prosecute figures like former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James also dismissed by judges and grand juries.
Martial Law Retreat and Democratic Resilience
Another sign of democratic resilience emerged this week with the Trump administration's quiet withdrawal of federalized National Guard troops from U.S. cities. In 2025, Trump had authorized deploying the Guard to locations where protests against immigration enforcement were occurring or likely, contravening American norms that reserve law enforcement for civilian officials except in extraordinary circumstances. This move provoked rebukes from the judiciary, including the conservative-dominated Supreme Court, leading to the troops' withdrawal.
This basic pattern of the administration attempting but failing to enact authoritarian measures has repeated across multiple fronts. For instance, the Federal Communications Commission tried to pressure Disney into removing Jimmy Kimmel from the air for critical jokes, but backlash from entertainment unions and subscribers forced his reinstatement. Similarly, when Border Patrol agents in Minnesota shot protestor Alex Pretti, public demand led to an investigation and a reduction in deportation surges that violated civil liberties.
Successes and Ongoing Threats to Democracy
Despite these setbacks, the Trump administration has achieved significant successes in subverting the rule of law. The president has pardoned insurrectionists, blocked investigations into killings, purged the Justice Department of constitutional loyalists, nullified court orders, and intimidated news organizations and law firms. Moreover, with Republicans controlling the Senate, the judiciary is likely to grow more deferential to Trump as his appointed judges fill more seats.
The state of American democracy remains precarious, with many of Trump's actions eroding legal norms. However, the resistance from institutions and society has prevented the worst outcomes. One year into his second term, Trump's intentions have proven as nefarious as predicted, but American society has resisted his assaults on democracy more effectively than feared, showcasing that the road to autocracy is indeed lined with potholes.
