A Textbook example of a takeover

After Musks Nazi salute on stage, I feel obliged to speak up. What we see right now, is almost a textbook guide for “how to install a regime”. I am not alone with this assessment – Jason Stanley, a Yale professor with an expertise on the topic of fascism and author of the book “How fascism works”, is about to leave the US for a position at a Canadian University. He fears, like other intellectuals, that what we see are the beginnings of a fascist regime emerging. In this article, I will give a short overview of the steps wannabe dictators might take to get rid of democracy and illustrate it by describing the recent events happening in the U.S.A.

Step 1 - Rebuild the governmental landscape: 

Fire uncomfortable people. Cut down the impact of agencies or close them. Hollow out the rest. Not only, that the lawyers connected to the investigation of Donald Trumps criminal charges were fired, FBI officials involved in investigating the Capitol riots had to go. Trump ordered to shut down all federal DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) initiatives and went on to fire the inspectors general from 17 different federal agencies, eliminating the positions which were designed to ensure the legal use of taxpayer money. On 20th of January, Trump established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Elon Musk, the “chainsaw of democracy” – wielding tech billionaire, who made the Nazi salute twice on stage – allegedly to “send his heart out to the crowd” – became DOGEs poster child as Trumps senior advisor. DOGE went on to size down federal agencies, cut down programs, freeze money and fire tens of thousands of people, to implement a new form of “algorithmic governance”. The company, tasked with the implementation is Palantir. Peter Thiel, Palantirs CEO, is a republican megadonor, who does not believe, that freedom and Democracy are compatible. No wonder, that former employees warned in an open letter about the companies normalization of authoritarianism.

open letter: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25930212-the-scouring-of-the-shire/,
accessed on 10.06.2025, at 14:30 

Ignore what the court is saying or get rid of the courts power altogether.

Of course the courts will undo decisions they will have found to be unlawful. One example is the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was sent to CECOT mega prison in El Salvador completely without legal justification. The state was found to be responsible for his return, yet nothing had happened for the longest time - until recently. But, ignoring court orders can only be a short term solution. It would be best to make it almost impossible for the courts to be able to exert any control. Section 70302 of “The Big Beautiful Bill” aka the Budget Bill, undermines the courts ability to fight unconstitutional executive orders. And, Trumps administration is talking about suspending “habeas corpus”, the right of defending oneself at court in case of detention. 

Make voting harder accessible for targeted groups.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act is a proposed law that, if passed, would make it harder to even impossible to vote for an estimated 21 million Americans. Especially women, who changed their legal name after marriage, transgender people, young citizens and the elderly are affected groups. 

Step 2- Streamline reality according to your needs:

Support medias yes-men, exclude the others.
By talking a lot of gibberish, like thinking loudly about making Canada the 51st state of the U.S., or making Gaza “the Riviera of the middle east”, Trump creates a mysterious veil of uncertainty around him. By renaming the Golf of Mexico “Golf of America”, he not only demonstrated his power, but also had a reason to ban media outlets from the White House Press rotation, who did not comply with the propagated reality immediately, like the AP (Assosciated Press), Reuters and other media. These steps can be seen as a fundamental attack on free speech. 

Ban books, restrict access to them. Cut grants for education and science, unless compliance to the political agenda is gained. 
The new policy responsible for stopping all DEI-programs and initiatives is the ground on which books are getting banned under Trumps administration. The list include Margaret Atwoods “The Handmaids tale”, Toni Morrissons “The Bluest Eye” , Art Spiegelmans Graphic novel about the Holocaust and many more. A book titled “Should abortion be legal?” is also on the list. But unsurprisingly so, as the constitutional right to abortion was eliminated in 2022, with dire consequences. Trumps administration also removes words deemed “too DEI” and cuts funding for scientific papers using restricted words and phrases. The list of collected words which are flagged by federal agencies include words like “gay”, “abortion”, “activism”, “anti-racism” and “Black”. The list goes on and is comprised by more than 200 words and phrases. Making things even worse, Schools and Universities with federal grants and contracts, like Harvard and Princeton, have to discontinuate
programs and studies “too DEI” for the administration if they still want their funds.

Step 3 - Create a cult around your person as the leader figure:

Put Christian fundamentalism into the mix.
Not only that Donald Trump is seen as some sort of a hero for the Qanon - conspiracy theorists, he also established The White House Faith Office. Paula White-Cain, a conservative Christian televangelist, has the lead in his faith office. In 2020, she prophesized, that demonic forces are about to steal Trumps election, which certainly played a role in the attack on the capitol in January 2021. Paula White is convinced, that Trump is chosen by God to do his work. Which means, when you are against him, it is for devilish reasons.

Earn money for your lavish lifestyle and let your followers earn money, too:

Hours before putting a 90-day pause on the implemented tariffs, the President of the United States himself, posted a “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!!

DJT” on his account on truthsocial.com. source:
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114308272725981913,  accessed on 9th of June 2025.
People, who took his advice, made tons of money. Trump Media and Technology Group, the parent company of Trumps social media platform “Truth Social”, unsurprisingly made a huge win on this day.

Step 4 - Create “THE OTHER” as a scapegoat, spread seedlings of fear by snatching people away in broad daylight.

An estimated 13 to 14 million immigrants with no or with a temporary status are currently in the U.S. Trump made it clear, that he wants them gone. For that, “United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement”, aka ICE-agents use the expedited removal program and a 1798 wartime law called “Alien Enemies Act”. ICE-raids were undertaken in big cities, in broad daylight and everywhere – to fulfill the quota. Students and academics on visas and green cards were also detained and people were sent to El Salvador. At the moment, protests and demonstrations against the recent ICE-raids are flaring up all over
the country. There is only one way out: Impeachment – as long, as it is still possible. Neither do I want to, nor do I intend to live in a world, where the public bullying and persecution of minorities is no longer immoral, but justified due to a complex of Christian and political conservatism. As it is simply wrong. And we have already seen where it leads to.

Go out there, be curious, be kind and stand up for your rights.