Is President Trump a Fascist?
Recently on FaceBook I shared a comic, “How to Spot Fascism Before It’s Too Late,” that listed elements of fascism, and illustrated many of them with images and quotes from President Trump. Some of my right-leaning and Trump-supporting friends and their friends objected to the characterization. I also feel uncomfortable with throwing around such a vague term; the connotations are so strong! Like comparing someone to Hitler, or calling them a Nazi, it isn’t discussion or argument, just hyperbole.
I said the comic showed why educated people are nervous. So, I wasn’t claiming that Trump is a fascist, just that there are enough similarities to make someone nervous. What I’d like to do here is establish some kind of definition of fascism, with a list of identifying characteristics, then compare President Trump’s statements and policies and actions to them. I want to try do it in a way that minimizes emotional response and partisan analysis, but one way a person might disagree is with the definition of fascism, because I saw as soon as I started looking for one that it is amorphous.
Here’s an emotional and partisan confession up front: Right now, I do not believe President Trump is a fascist. First, I doubt he can spell the word; second, if he can, I doubt he has even as much of a working definition as I do; third, being a fascist means having some kind of principles, and I do not believe President Trump has any.
That said, here we go.
“a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition”
In an Atlantic article pointing out disagreements about what fascism is, Dominic Green says “Perhaps the best definition comes from Robert Paxton” in his book The Anatomy of Fascism. Paxton says fascism is not a fixed ideology, but a dynamic process. Green lists five steps:
- Ideological formation and the creation of a party with quasi-military cadres. Talk of national humiliation, lost vigor, and the failures of liberalism and democracy.
- Entry of the party into national politics. Intimidation of rivals, and planned acts of “redemptive violence” against suspect minorities and radical rivals.
- Arrival in government, often in alliance with conservatives.
- Exercise of power, in concert with institutions and business. The regime expands its control at home: restricting the press and democratic processes, corporatizing business, and collectivizing the people. Abroad, it asserts itself militarily.
Jamelle Bouie, claiming in Slate in November 2015 that Trump is a fascist, cites Umberto Eco to come up with a list of seven common properties of fascist movements:
A cult of “action for action’s sake,” where “thinking is a form of emasculation”; an intolerance of “analytical criticism,” where disagreement is condemned; a profound “fear of difference,” where leaders appeal against “intruders”; appeals to individual and social frustration and specifically a “frustrated middle class” suffering from “feelings of political humiliation and frightened by the pressure of lower social groups”; a nationalist identity set against internal and external enemies (an “obsession with a plot”); a feeling of humiliation by the “ostentatious wealth and force of their enemies”; a “popular elitism” where “every citizen belongs to the best people of the world” and underscored by contempt for the weak; and a celebration of aggressive (and often violent) masculinity.
So, identifying features of fascism include anti-liberalism and claims of national humiliation, exaltation of nation and race appealing to a frustrated middle class, creation of a nationalist identity posed against internal and external enemies, contempt for weakness and any kind of analytical thought, aggressive and often violent action, exercise of power, restriction of press and democracy, autocratic government with a dictatorial leader, increased control at home and military action abroad.
Anti-liberalism and claims of national humiliation
When Trump announced his candidacy, the speech was mainly about other countries are beating us and laughing at us. “Our country is in serious trouble. We don't have victories anymore,” he said. When did we beat China, Japan, Mexico, he asked. “They kill us,” he claimed. Mexico is “laughing at us, at our stupidity,” he said. “Our enemies are getting stronger and stronger by the way, and we as a country are getting weaker,” he asserted.
The defining characteristic of liberalism is belief in government as an instrument to improve social inequities. In the speech, Trump attacked recently implemented instances of government liberalism. He called Obamacare “the big lie” more than once. He called Common Core “a disaster.”
In his Inaugural address he continued in a similar way, claiming “jobs left,” “factories closed,” and our education system “flush with cash” leaves “our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge.” He characterized it as “American carnage.”
Since becoming President, Trump has rolled back Obama-era orders protecting offshore areas, national wildernesses,and worker safety. He has reduced or ordered reviews of federal financial regulations, and federal involvement in school regulations. He has signed an order requiring that for every new federal regulation two others must be repealed. The attempt to “repeal and replace” Obamacare is ongoing.
Exaltation of nation and race appealing to a frustrated middle class
In his announcement, Trump said, “Our country has tremendous potential. We have tremendous people. We have people that aren't working. We have people that have no incentive to work. But they're going to have incentive to work, because the greatest social program is a job. And they'll be proud, and they'll love it, and they'll make much more than they would've ever made, and they'll be— they'll be doing so well, and we're going to be thriving as a country, thriving. It can happen.”
And of course, his campaign slogan was “Make America Great Again.”
He began his inaugural address, “We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and restore its promise for all of our people,” and went on to claim, “today, we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another or from one party to another. But we are transferring power from Washington, D.C., and giving it back to you, the people.” Late in the speech he claimed, “The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed all across the world.” Then asserted, “From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land. From this day forward, it's going to be only America first — America first.”
During the campaign and since he took office, there has been a sense that the middle-class America he is putting first is white. He attacked Mexico and claimed they send us criminals and rapists. He portrayed black life in America as hopeless: “You’re living in your poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58 percent of your youth is unemployed — what the hell do you have to lose?” He lied about Muslims in New Jersey cheering as the Twin Towers fell on 9/11. He retweeted and reused material from anti-semitic and racist sources.
Immediately after the election hate-based incidents spiked, and they continue at a higher rate than in the past.
Creation of a nationalist identity posed against internal and external enemies
Internal: “Drain the swamp.”
External: “Build the Wall.”
In the announcement speech, he said, “ISIS has the oil, and what they don't have, Iran has,” and later claimed, “China has our jobs and Mexico has our jobs,” then went on to assert, “Our enemies are getting stronger and stronger by the way, and we as a country are getting weaker.”
He claimed throughout his campaign that he would rid the country of illegal aliens, and since election the federal government has pursued an aggressive deportation policy that has it at odds with some states and cities.
In the inaugural address, he put it, “Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies and destroying our jobs.”
Since entering office he has twice issued Muslim-based immigration bans, dropped the “mother of all bombs,” in Afghanistan, approved military action in Somalia, sent a Navy battle group toward Korea, and begun to initiate more military involvement in Afghanistan. He has a stated goal of wiping ISIS out of existence.
Contempt for weakness and any kind of analytical thought
During the campaign Trump claimed John McCain was not a war hero, because he was captured. “I like people who weren’t captured,” he said.
As President-elect, Trump chose not to get daily intelligence briefings, claiming, “I’m a smart person.” He named “Mad Dog” Mattis Secretary of Defense.
As President, Trump claimed the ruling against his second attempt at a travel ban “makes us look weak.” When McCain and Lindsey Graham spoke against his travel ban, President Trump called them, “sadly weak on immigration.” When acting Attorney General Sally Yates refused to defend the ban, he fired her, calling her “weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration.”
He has said he doesn’t read much, because he doesn’t need to, “he reaches the right decisions ‘with very little knowledge other than the knowledge I [already] had, plus the words “common sense,” because I have a lot of common sense and I have a lot of business ability.’” He has expressed disdain for experts: “‘they can’t see the forest for the trees.’ He believes that when he makes decisions, people see that he instinctively knows the right thing to do: ‘A lot of people said, “Man, he was more accurate than guys who have studied it all the time. ”’” Recently he told Navy officials that he wanted the new aircraft carriers to have steam catapults instead of the digital ones, “What is digital? And it’s very complicated, you have to be Albert Einstein to figure it out,” he said.
Aggressive and often violent action
Candidate Trump showed his enthusiasm for violent action in several incidents at rallies, for example shouting “Get him out of here!” as supporters assaulted an African-american protester, and later saying, “Maybe he should have been roughed up.”
He advocated the use of torture. He has discussed potentially using nuclear weapons, and expressed little concern about other countries acquiring them.
He has authorized the use of the largest non-nuclear bomb ever. His administration is moving toward greater engagement in Afghanistan. He has sent a carrier strike group toward Korea. He responded to the use of gas in Syria with a missile attack that he contrasted with President Obama’s inaction after Assad crossed a “red line.”
Exercise of power
During the campaign, liberals were outraged by candidate Trump’s “grab ‘em by the pussy” statement. In this context it is worth noting that he said he could get away with it because of his power.
As President, Barack Obama signed 277 Executive Orders, and was criticized for using them to bypass Congress. Executive orders are often used as a measure of how much a President wields power. President Trump signed 90 in his first 100 days. John Yoo, who helped right the defense of waterboarding for President George W. Bush, has written an op ed piece claiming that President Trump has overreached in his exercise of power. The firing of officials opposed to his policies is seen as an anti-democratic exercise of power.
For other examples, see above. These features of fascism interlock, and I am getting tired.
Restriction of press and democracy
During the campaign, candidate Trump revoked the press credentials of the Washington Post, and other news outlets. As President-elect he restricted press access. As President he has kept mainstream news outlets from a press gaggle, while allowing conservative propaganda media increased access. At the height of the Russian election-interference scandal he met with Russians and allowed no American press, but allowed a Russian photographer.
Of course we know about “fake news.”
Recently he tweeted that he might cancel press briefings, “Maybe the best thing to do would be to cancel all future "press briefings" and hand out written responses for the sake of accuracy???”
During the campaign he speculated about changing the first amendment so he could more easily sue news outlets. Since elected he has talked about amending the Constitution and the rules of government.
Judges and members of the press have found his comments on judicial rulings disturbing, though his supporters have a different perspective.
Some restrictions on democracy have occurred in recent months, but if they are Trump-directed, I am going to mention them below, and if they aren’t, I am going to refrain from tagging him with them.
Autocratic government with a dictatorial leader
Trump launched his candidacy with an announcement that he would be a strong leader:
“Now, our country needs— our country needs a truly great leader, and we need a truly great leader now. We need a leader that wrote The Art of the Deal.
“We need a leader that can bring back our jobs, can bring back our manufacturing, can bring back our military, can take care of our vets. Our vets have been abandoned.
“We need somebody that can take the brand of the United States and make it great again. It's not great again.
“We need— we need somebody— we need somebody that literally will take this country and make it great again. We can do that.”
Before and since the election he has expressed admiration for strong and autocratic leaders:
On Putin: "It is always a great honor to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond."
On Roderigo Duterte: "He was quite sensitive to our war on drugs and he wishes me well in my campaign and said that we are doing, as he so put it, 'the right way,' "
To Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi: “it would be a great honor” for the United States if the Egyptian authorities released imprisoned American aid worker Aya Hijazi.
And to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: congratulations on winning increased autocratic power.
Increased control at home and military action abroad
As noted above, we appear to be engaged in brinksmanship with North Korea, recently dropped the mother of all bombs in Afghanistan, and apparently will be sending more troops there, fired missiles into Syria, and staged a raid in Yemen. President Trump has shifted the U.S. policy toward ISIS from Obama’s “generational conflict” to one aimed at elimination.
President Trump issued gag orders to several government agencies, removed information from agencies’ websites, and ordered studies of ways to downsize or eliminate many of them.
Conclusion
When I look at the evidence above, I see autocratic, authoritarian, anti-democratic behavior. Perhaps the lack of a paramilitary arm keeps Trumpism from being fascism. As I mentioned in the introduction, the word “fascist” has extremely negative connotations, so much so that it shuts down meaningful argument or discussion. As I was typing the above, I kept imagining that some of the people who commented on my original post would look at Trump’s statements or actions and agree with them. To the person who called my repost “BS” and the one who said people who think Trump is a fascist are “losers,” I say Trump may or may not be a fascist, but you should look pretty close at yourself.
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