Green Shoots of Democratic Resilience
Emerging US Cases
Donald Trump’s assault on major institutions in the United States has been damaging. The press, universities, Congress, the courts, and established law firms have been seriously compromised, as Trump follows the strategy of other autocrats, such as Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, by simply cutting funding to his enemies. It is that simple and seems to be the common denominator of the programs and institutions he has defunded or obstructed. However, there are growing signs of promising democratic responses to these assaults.
For example, when major news outlets, such as the Washington Post, have been compromised by threats or pressure on their owners, some leading journalists have left, rather than bend to political interference. Jen Rubin is a perfect example. She left the Washington Post and established an independent news outlet on Substack that enables her to speak directly to her readers on ‘The Contrarian’, directly supported by her readers.[1] She and others are literally changing journalism in the US.
Likewise, Trump has attacked his perceived legal opponents, such as firms who have worked on cases against him. Today, an article in the Financial Times cites Abbe Lowell, a top lawyer who represented Hunter Biden, along with many other clients across the political spectrum. Lowell said Trump was ‘pushing US democracy to the breaking point’.[2] Lowell resigned from his former law firm to launched his new law firm, Lowell & Associates, in DC and is on a ‘mission’ to push back against the assaults by the administration.[3] Other legal experts, such as the former White House ethics czar Norm Eisen, have joined with Jen Rubin on Substack.
I fear too many people opposed to Trump’s assaults on democratic institutions are looking for another leader to rise above the ashes of American democratic institutions. It is more plausible and democratic in spirit to recognize that there are many green shoots rising across multiple institutions and across the political spectrum. Consider the growing number of politicians, from Bernie Sanders, Gavin Newsom, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and A.O.C. – to name a few, who have found a new voice in the wake of Trump’s attacks on institutions, Medicare, universities, and more. Share their ideas and support the efforts of these bright lights that do not bend a knee to Trump or seek to curry favor with the administration. They have the courage and sensibilities to call the president out on his foolish words and actions. Be one yourself.
[1] https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/13/media/jennifer-rubin-norm-eisen-contrarian-washington-post
[2] Palma, S. (2025), ‘Trump actions put US legal system at risk, warns stary litigator’, Financial Times, 4 July: p. 6.
[3] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/02/abbe-lowell-law-firm-trump-00322063