Selling Power, Buying Silence: The Rise of Trump’s Authoritarianism

Have we lost our minds?

We are barreling toward a crisis, and everybody knows it. You can feel it in the air, hear it in the rhetoric, see it in the way our institutions are bending under the weight of a reality they were never built to handle. The worst part? This isn’t happening by accident. Donald Trump is working hard to create that crisis. The table is set. The question isn’t if it will happen—it’s when.

The other thing he’s working hard on? Division.

There’s an old saying in government: Never waste a good crisis. The idea is that when a country faces a moment of true upheaval, the people will come together, rally around each other, and do what needs to be done. It’s a moment for leadership, a time when those in power can break through the usual gridlock, rise to the occasion, and steer the nation toward stability.

But what happens when the crisis isn’t used to bring people together—but to turn them against one another?

What happens when, instead of seeking unity, our leaders fuel chaos?

What happens when, instead of looking to each other in times of crisis, we blame each other?

A Strongman Pretending to Govern

Donald Trump has never governed in the traditional sense. He doesn’t do the hard work of leadership. He doesn’t navigate policy complexities or build coalitions. Instead, he thrives on spectacle, on the illusion of strength rather than the reality of competence.

His method is simple: Stoke fear, manufacture chaos, and then position himself as the only one who can fix it.

When he tells his supporters that the system is rigged, that elections can’t be trusted, that the media is the enemy, that immigrants are invading, that crime is out of control—he’s not just offering up talking points. He’s setting the stage for the crisis he wants. Because when people are afraid, they are easier to control. And when they believe their enemies aren’t just political opponents but existential threats, they are willing to embrace extreme measures.

That’s where the real danger lies.

Trump is Already a King

Trump’s latest legal arguments confirm what many have feared—he believes the presidency is above the law. Legal scholars warn that his assertions grant him unchecked power, effectively making him a king rather than an elected leader. Former federal judge Michael Luttig called it “insanity” when Trump’s legal team argued that the Justice Department must align itself with the president’s personal opinions on the law. If Trump wakes up one day and declares bribery laws inapplicable to himself, his family, or his allies, his legal theory dictates that the Justice Department must accept it. This is not democracy; this is autocracy in disguise. (Source)

A Mafia Boss Threatening Those Who Don’t Get in Line

Trump doesn’t govern like a president. He operates like a mob boss. Loyalty is everything. Those who cross him are not just political adversaries; they are traitors, enemies, people to be punished. He has openly suggested that military leaders who don’t follow his orders should be executed. He has promised to use the Justice Department to go after his opponents. He has floated pardons for insurrectionists while promising retribution against those who stood in his way.

Business leaders can now pay $5 million for a private meeting with him at Mar-a-Lago. A mere dinner seat costs $1 million. This is not just cronyism—it’s political patronage on a scale unseen in modern American politics. When access to power is literally up for sale, the distinction between governance and bribery ceases to exist. (Source)

Hurting U.S. Farmers

Trump’s reckless economic policies have also put American farmers in jeopardy. His promise to impose tariffs on foreign agricultural goods starting April 2nd may seem like a protectionist measure, but the reality is far more dire.

The U.S. is one of the largest soybean exporters, with China, the EU, and Mexico as key buyers. Without export demand, the domestic market would be flooded with excess supply, causing prices to crash.

Farmers, many of whom supported Trump, will be left grappling with prices potentially falling below $10 per bushel. Yet, Trump paints this as a victory:
“To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States,” he boasted on social media. (Source)

This isn’t leadership. This is self-inflicted economic sabotage.

So, where does that leave us?

The crisis is coming. We all see it. The question is whether we will fall for it. Whether we will let ourselves be manipulated into believing that democracy is the problem rather than the thing that can save us. Whether we will embrace the strongman who promises safety while dismantling our freedoms.

Because if we do—if we let this happen—then we truly have lost our minds.