Distributed Resistance to the Trump Administration
During the early months of the Trump Administration, the President’s flurry of initiatives, such as hundreds of Executive Orders, seem to have caught those opposing his actions off guard, analogous to the proverbial ‘deer caught in the headlights’. Many began to ask about the lack of opposition: Where is the Democratic Party? Who is leading the opposition to so many crazy ideas from renaming the Gulf of Mexico to invading Greenland?
In part, this impression was driven by the President being able to set media agendas. To use his own words, he can do ‘good TV’, such as in signing one order after another on camera or berating the President of Ukraine after inviting him to the White House.
Undoubtedly, many opponents to the administration were hard at work, whether they were comedians or politicians or lawyers and other professionals. Many lawsuits were filed, and many spoke against every initiative of the President. Progressives were being brought together by grassroots organizations, such as MoveOn in its Hands Off 2025 (HandsOff2025.com) for rallies on 5 April.
Along with these initiatives, it was encouraging to see Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders hold several joint rallies to oppose the concentration of power in America – to ‘fight oligarchy’ – arguably being ushered in by US President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Trump’s DOGE Advisor, Elon Musk. Seeing a rising star and elder statesman of the Democratic Party teaming up to stop Trump undermining checks and balances in government and the accountability of government to the press and public intellectuals seemed to signal that the opposition is getting organized and that leaders are stepping forward to carry the flag.
That said, it would be surprising if many Democrats did not worry about whether AOC and Sanders were too far on the left of the Party and did not represent the Party as a whole. I don’t think that is necessary. Wherever you stand on the political spectrum, they are showing the way forward by speaking in opposition. Of the many options to: put your head down, stay quiet, fly away, or fight, they have stepped out to fight the emerging oligarchy or kleptocracy being assembled by the President with support from the MAGA-cult.
I would make two points. First, the most important struggle might be to change public opinion. I like the way The Contrarians argue that they need to fight Trump in the court of law and in the court of public opinion. The 2024 Presidential election was won by 0.15 percent of all voters.[1] Donald Trump won big in the Electoral College, but narrowly in the popular vote. He had no mandate, despite his claim to one. The MAGA Republicans are a minority of the Republican Party – or were at one time. One way or another, the popular vote put Trump in office and the court of public opinion is likely to be the best and most important place to counter his moves toward concentrating power in his Presidency.
Secondly, people cannot wait for a leader to arise from the ashes of the Democratic Party. Thousands of individuals, politicians, leaders, and their initiatives need to rise from all points on the political spectrum. Trump is not ideological. He is not following a path paved by conservatives or progressives – as neither have been nationalists and so ‘transactional’- making everything a financial deal. They have been governed by norms, international rules of law, rules of order, and respect for American and international institutions, rights, and freedoms. Across the political spectrum there are likely to be a growing number of individuals who don’t recognize the Trump administration making America great as he insults traditional allies, parrots the narratives of Putin, and attacks science and research across multiple fields. Whether simply talking to friends and family or running for office, don’t wait to resist.
Coordination and leadership of this opposition will emerge over time. There is no doubt. Until then, we need to encourage and foster distributed resistance to Trump and his hand-picked Cabinet of problematically qualified media personalities. #Resist.
[1] https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/5094602-a-landslide-just-0-15-percent-of-all-voters-determined-trumps-2024-victory/