Donald Trump’s policies pushing America towards authoritarianism

Since his re-election, Donald Trump has steered America towards fascism and a new imperial world order that shuns democracy, human rights, justice, and the rule of law.

To this effect, he has taken an adversarial stance and adopted a belligerent attitude towards anyone and everyone he thinks is a threat to his image of world order.

In a move towards his grand design, he has touted plans to make Canada America’s 51st state, to claim — colonise or invade Greenland, a sovereign nation, repossess the Panama Canal, and take over and ethnically cleanse Gaza, either through bombing the Palestinians to death or exiling them.

Additionally, Trump has imposed tariffs and sanctions on Mexico, Europe, and his longtime nemesis, China, including a 25 per cent tax on foreign-made cars and auto parts. The tariff would raise car prices and cause job losses, affecting the American public.

On April 2, Trump announced sweeping tariffs on goods entering the United States. Southeast Asian nations now face higher reciprocal tariffs, with Laos (49 per cent), Cambodia (49 per cent), Vietnam (46 per cent), Thailand (36 per cent), and Malaysia (24 per cent). This move could significantly disrupt global trade.

In a show of force and might, he put into effect his campaign promise of deporting illegal and legal immigrants and undesirable visa holders. His first move targeted Venezuelan immigrants by invoking the Alien Enemies Act used against Japanese, Italian, and German immigrants during World War 2. His attempt was blocked by the United States Appeal Court, following a legal challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Trump accused the court — the Federal Judiciary, a co-equal branch of government that acts as a check on the Executive — of interfering with the executive authority to decide on national security matters. He now threatens to impose punitive tariffs on any country that trades in Venezuelan oil and gas. He uses bullying tactics to impose his will on countries that do not bow to him. All his unilateral actions are to achieve a new imperial Trumpian world order that to him would “Make America Great Again.”

At home, he has caused untold suffering to the American people through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk — who funded US$250 million for Trump’s election campaign — by terminating tens of thousands of jobs. Through Musk, Trump has cut expenses at the expense of the American people. He has discontinued the USAID (Agency for International Development) programme, terminating employment at home and abroad, and cut funding for food banks for school children, the poor, the homeless, and senior citizens.

Trump has also signed an executive order to close the Federal Department of Education. The respective states will now manage their programmes.

Trump has also interfered in the curriculum offerings of universities, specifically Columbia University. He sees universities as breeding grounds for dissent, particularly pro-Palestinian activities, which he perceives as being antisemitic. He threatened to withdraw federal funding from Columbia University. He demanded that the institution review and put into receivership departments offering Middle Eastern Studies, and demanded changes to the departments of Middle-Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies to be in tune with his political agenda.

Such incursion undermines university autonomy — and academic freedom and integrity. This only happens in communist and fascist countries. It derails America’s position as the epitome of economic freedom, freedom of expression and inquiry without political constraints. Under Trump, America has lost its democratic footing, assumed a fascist countenance, and engaged in racial profiling.

Trump and his administration seem to care more for the Jews in America and the Zionist Israel than the American people, as evidenced by Congress’s antisemitic law that protects the Jews from verbal criticisms. Anyone can be arrested for criticising Israel, condemning Zionist genocidal acts, or expressing support for the Palestinian cause. To date, three students have been arrested and accused — without evidence — of supporting the Palestinian cause.

One is a Columbia University graduate student, a permanent resident married to a US citizen. The second is Badar Khan Suri, a post-doctoral fellow at Georgetown University Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre for Muslim Christian Understanding, who is also married to a US citizen. The third is a female Turkish student, Rumesya Ozturk, a doctoral student at Tufts University in Boston. They have been accused of involvement in protesting the genocide being carried out by the Zionist Jews, despite such protests being part of free speech protected under the Constitution.

Trump has used an obscure 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act that gives the Secretary of State the right to deport anyone who he determines could have adverse foreign policy consequences. Trump has instituted measures that undermine the rights of these people under the Constitution. He is an enigmatic person, incongruent and conflicting in his political assertions. He talked of peace during his inauguration — co-existence — but has since given the green light to Netanyahu to restart the massacre of the Palestinians.

Peace is furthest from his mind when he wants to colonise Greenland, annex Canada, invade Iran, and threaten Venezuela and all other countries that continue trading with this country. He has since taken an adversarial stance against the European Union and cuddled up to the Russian Bear.

We are seeing America descend into fascism with a megalomaniac demagogue presiding over the demise of democracy and friendly international relations and co-existence, and the revival of neo-colonialism and fascism.

The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent that of Twentytwo13.