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I remember the first time I said that Donald Trump was a fascist and a wannabe dictator. Someone messaged me, claiming I was being hyperbolic. But time has proven otherwise.
From his first month in office, every action Trump took—including his disgraceful treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy—made one thing clear: this is a man who craves power, disregards democracy and aligns himself with dictators.
Mark Milley, the former Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a decorated U.S. Army General who worked with Trump in the past, sounded the alarm:
"Trump is the most dangerous person ever. I had suspicions when I talked to you about his mental decline and so forth, but now I realize he's a total fascist. He is now the most dangerous person in this country... A fascist to the core." 1
Believe people when they show you who they truly are
The warning signs are flashing red. A bully narcissist like Trump thrives on manipulation, fear, and control. He insults, gaslights, and silences opposition. He bows to dictators like Putin while abandoning those who fight for democracy. And just as we would never cower to a schoolyard bully, we must never cower to him.
Trump Is a Russian Asset
Under Trump, the Republican Party has become the Party of Putin—prioritizing power, wealth, and personal loyalty over the rights and freedoms of Americans. Trump's obsession with authoritarian rule, political revenge, and lawlessness is no accident. His admiration for Putin's grip on power exposes his true allegiance.
No one should be surprised that Trump is willing to hand our allies over to Russia.
"Trump said that he told a president of a NATO country that he 'would not protect' their country if Russia attacked it, because their country was not spending enough on defense. 'In fact, I would encourage [Russia] to do whatever the hell they want." 2
That's not a leader—it's a threat to global security.
Even John Bolton, Trump's former national security advisor, admitted that Trump was willing to "throw Ukraine under the bus" for Putin's benefit. 3
His actions have always aligned with Russia's interests, not America's:
Inviting Russia to meddle in U.S. elections
Siding with Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies
Revealing highly classified intelligence to Russian officials
Threatening to withdraw the U.S. from NATO, weakening our national security
Withholding aid to Ukraine during his first presidency, emboldening Russia's aggression
Stealing and refusing to return classified documents belonging to the American people
Trump's loyalty isn't to America—it's to himself, his power, and the dictators he admires.
Why Won't Republicans Stop Him?
Many people ask: Why doesn't his cabinet or the Republican Party stand up to Trump?
The answer is simple: fear and corruption.
We all saw Trump's appalling behavior during that shameful meeting at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy—bullying, name-calling, pushing, and humiliating him in front of the world. Now imagine what he does behind closed doors to those who work under him.
His inner circle operates like an organized crime syndicate.
Michael Cohen, once one of Trump's closest advisors, put it plainly:
"Trump “doesn’t give orders. He speaks in code. And I understand that code.” That’s the way that Mafiosi speak to each other, to avoid trouble.” 4
This is not the company of someone who prioritizes American values; it's the company of someone who values power, corruption, and control.
Trump has turned the Republican Party into a cult of obedience, and anyone who dares to stand up to him is threatened, smeared, or destroyed. That's not leadership. That's fascism.
Fascism Thrives on Apathy—We Must Push Back
Trump is a bully narcissist who believes power is his birthright. He has made it clear that he will lie, cheat, steal, and destroy democracy itself to stay in power.
Fascism doesn't take over with tanks in the streets—it thrives in apathy. It grows when good people choose inaction and dismiss threats as "it can't happen here." Every moment of silence allows authoritarianism to take root.
But we are not powerless. We are the majority.
Unity is our greatest weapon. Unity is how we protect our communities and stand up to a bully narcissist like 34-time convicted felon Donald Trump.
Fascism survives by dividing us—by exploiting differences, sowing hate, and isolating communities. But when we stand together, we dismantle those tactics. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.
We've seen it before. We've fought back before.
I have seen your bravery
For over two years, I had the honor of joining the Circle of Protection in front of ICE Miramar, and I saw the courage of activists fighting with ICE agents to extend simple rights to folks standing in line. Water, shade, bathrooms- every week, it was a battle. When I joined the busloads of students and parents who traveled to Tallahassee to advocate for gun safety reforms after our losses at Parkland, I saw bravery. When I traveled to Utah to nudge Senator Romney to vote for impeaching Trump, I saw community members come out to protest in a city where I was told, "We don't do that here." I saw bravery. When I joined thousands to march and protest in front of the Supreme Court after the fall of Roe V. Wade, I saw bravery. And in the past few weeks we are seeing people show up, speak out, and build power. We are witnessing acts of bravery in every corner of this nation.
America Is Brave Because You Are Brave
The fight for democracy isn't someone else's fight. It's ours.
For too long, we've let corruption slide, thinking:
❌ "It's not my problem."
❌ "Things never change."
❌ "My efforts won't make a difference."
But here's the truth: most Americans don't vote. Apathy has brought us to this crisis. But action can bring us back.
As champions for progress and power to the people, we must double down on our efforts:
✅ Speak out, show up, and build power together.
✅ Push our leaders to do better.
✅ Talk to our families, friends, and communities.
✅ Make voting a habit, not an afterthought.
✅ Mobilize millions of people to reclaim our rights, freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law.
Democracy doesn't defend itself. We do.
It is our voices, our votes, and our collective power that will stop Trump and his cult.
We must organize, mobilize, and refuse to let our democracy fall into the hands of a would-be dictator.
The fight for democracy is our fight.
I want to make it clear that whenever People Power United uses the word "fight" in our writings, posts, or spoken word, we mean fiercely advocate—never to incite or support violence. We do not condone any form of violence, nor do we advocate for breaking any laws.
Our commitment is to peaceful advocacy through the exercise of our constitutional rights, including freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, peaceful rallies, protests, and acts of civil disobedience. These are the tools we use to defend our rights, freedoms, the rule of law, and democracy.
And together, we will win.
Today’s Calls-to-Action
Click here to send a letter of support for the President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian leaders and soldiers, and the resilient people of Ukraine
Call my members of Congress at (202) 224-3121 and demand they support Ukraine and stop empowering Putin.
Click here to Take the Freedom Over Fascism pledge to reject authoritarianism in all its forms.
Commit to Vote in every election and urge my friends and family to elect leaders who defend democracy and stand with our allies.
Click here to Send a message to your members of Congress and demand they support Ukraine and stop empowering Putin.
Click here to send a message to Tell Trump: Stop Siding with Putin and Russia Over Ukraine
Click here to sign the petition: Tell Trump: Stop Siding with Russia Over Ukraine
Real courage is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. Doing the unpopular thing because it's what you believe, and the heck with everybody. ― Justin Cronin
📢 We're fighting fascism, and this is how we reclaim our power! 💥
Grassroots activism is a powerful force that can shape the direction of a nation.
Many of us can do one or two simple things a day for advocacy, but we need more people taking action.
The longer the power of the people stays on the sideline, the stronger Trump, Musk, and Putin grow.
If we want to protect the future of this country, we must double down on our organizing efforts to build people power in every city and every state in our nation.
We must show up, speak out, and build power to replace these corrupt politicians.
By taking action, holding leaders accountable, and advocating for dignity, respect, and opportunity for all, we can build an America that lives up to the values of liberty and justice for all, not just the wealthy, powerful, or privileged.
Here are some ways we can take action:
📢 Join us for 🎙️Power to the People – live movement updates daily at 11AM on Substack! Stay informed, stay engaged, and take action. 💪
We will resist through rallies, protests, general strikes, boycotts, and 198 acts of civil disobedience, targeting anyone who enables or attacks our communities with oppression, injustice, hatred, and bigotry.
We will speak out, show up, and build power.
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Here are some other ways to be impactful:
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Laurie Woodward Garcia (paid with hugs and kisses, not bought by special interests)
Leader, People Power United
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https://www.axios.com/2024/10/11/mark-milley-trump-fascist-bob-woodward-book
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/02/11/senate-aid-ukraine-israel-taiwan-aid/
https://www.axios.com/2024/01/30/trump-john-bolton-second-term-2024-election
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/02/28/how-trump-speaks-like-mob-boss/
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