Thomas ZimmerFeb 16, 2025

“He who saves his Country does not violate any law,” Donald Trump said yesterday.

Two possible reactions:

1) Continue on the trajectory that got us here in the first place by discarding this as “just Trump being Trump”

2) Grapple in earnest with the fact that Trump asserts dictatorial power as the providential leader tasked with saving the nation.

This is acutely dangerous.

Show threadThomas ZimmerFeb 16, 2025
According to Trump and his supporters, only one man, one providential leader can guide the nation to its re-birth and former glory – “Only I,” Trump likes to say; he was “chosen by God” to save America, he said in his inaugural address. He means it. Those around him mean it.
Show threadThomas ZimmerFeb 16, 2025
Trumpists regard any opposition to their project of national purification and re-birth as fundamentally illegitimate. It is dogma among Trump’s supporters that he as their leader embodies the will of the true people, the Volk. Trump is the tribune of “real America.”
Show threadThomas ZimmerFeb 16, 2025
Calling this fascism offers no magic solution. But the idea that it is somehow ridiculous and beyond the pale to call Trumpism fascist relies on a naively dismissive view of Trump – and on ignoring the accelerating radicalization on the Right that has been happening around and in support of Trump.
Show threadThomas ZimmerFeb 16, 2025

Trump is the fascistic leader of a far-right coalition that unites different shades of radical reaction and “counter-revolutionary” extremism.

It’s unclear if they will succeed in destroying the constitutional order and ending democratic self-government. But they are undoubtedly trying.

https://thomaszimmer.substack.com/p/donald-trump-american-fascist

Donald Trump, American Fascist

Trumpism is what a specifically American, twenty-first century version of fascism looks like. And in November, fascism is on the ballot.

Democracy Americana
Show threadOggieFeb 16, 2025

@tzimmer_history
They are also being given an astounding amount of cover* by the media as a whole.

If you'll forgive the bsky link-

https://bsky.app/profile/bubbaprog.lol/post/3li6ayauo4s2f

ed: 'coverage' -> cover (as I originaly intended, autocorrect or sleepy brain)

Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog.lol)

you can look at this and say we're divided or you can look at this and say that a majority of americans oppose every one of these things [contains quote post or other embedded content]

Bluesky Social
Show threadPomegranate_StewFeb 16, 2025
@Oggie @tzimmer_history
I made the mistake of watching local and network news last night and the worst part is they’re covering him as if this is all normal. They’re facilitating the coup.
Show threadgekko3k

@pomegranate_stew @Oggie @tzimmer_history

They fear him already, Angst to lose everything. And they're not wrong.

Feb 16, 2025 at 10:41pmWeb