We must wake up to America’s slow descent into dictatorship
Why recognising the coup matters, and how to respond with purpose
At a dinner party last night, a friend described the deep anxiety they felt about politics in the United States. There’s a sense of helplessness many feel as headlines blur together: masked men dragging people into unmarked vans, migrants being illegally deported, court rulings ignored, televised cabinet meetings that resemble royal court rituals, a military parade followed by the National Guard being deployed to multiple cities.
This is how broken windows theory plays out in politics. When small breaches of law and democratic norms are tolerated, they invite larger ones. Each unaddressed act of overreach signals that the next will also be allowed. To feel anxiety in the face of this is healthy, because it shows you are paying attention. To look away achieves nothing. The only antidote to anxiety is action. But before action, we must name what is happening: America is experiencing a slow-moving coup.
A coup in plain sight
When people imagine a coup, they often picture tanks on the streets, generals seizing television stations, or an angry mob seizing the capitol. Yet coups in the modern era more often involve the gradual hollowing out of democratic institutions from within, while keeping their outward shell intact. This pattern is familiar to anyone who has studied the rise of authoritarian regimes.
Masked federal agents carrying out abductions in Portland during Trump’s first term were a test run. Since his re-election in 2024, the practice has expanded. In Somerville, Massachusetts, a Tufts student was seized by masked officers and taken away in an unmarked SUV. In Connecticut, ICE agents in ski masks and unmarked vehicles caused widespread panic in Danbury and New Haven. Similar abductions have been reported in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Phoenix and Miami, where families have described masked men breaking down doors, pulling people into the street, even ramming and shooting vehicles. These are deliberate demonstrations of unchecked state power.
The theatre of politics has been reshaped. Hours-long cabinet meetings where unctuous officials compete to praise Trump are televised. White House press briefings now feature hand-picked influencers posing soft questions, while independent journalists are sidelined. Congressional procedures are increasingly disregarded. This is the optics of democracy without its substance.
The deployment of the National Guard to Washington and other cities under the pretence of fighting crime is another concerning development. Uniformed federal troops now appear in situations once handled by local police and agencies. It is a clear act of intimidation.
The authoritarian playbook
Authoritarianism follows a predictable sequence. Norms shift, laws bend, and institutions transform into instruments of loyalty. Once citizens accept the erosion of one safeguard, others soon follow.
The executive branch in the United States now treats oversight as optional, places loyalty above law, and channels state resources to secure its position.
Trump has spoken openly of ambitions beyond both his constitutionally limited second term and America’s borders. His threats to take Greenland and Canada must be taken seriously. He has already started working toward these ends. History shows that dictators who consolidate power domestically rarely stop at their own borders.
Turning anxiety into action
At my friend’s dinner table, the atmosphere was heavy. Yet fear produces paralysis, and paralysis strengthens authoritarianism. The way forward lies in purposeful action. We all have the tools at hand to resist dictatorship and reinforce democratic culture.
Always remember you are powerful. Political scientists have shown non-violent movements that reach 3.5% active participation among the population usually achieve their goals.
While it is urgent American readers take the following practical steps, every society benefits when its citizens get active:
- Speak openly. Authoritarians thrive on silence. Call out what is happening for what it is.
- Support independent journalism. Subscribe, donate, and amplify voices that investigate and challenge authority.
- Organise locally. Join civic groups, community networks, and grassroots campaigns that protect democratic rights.
- Pressure representatives. Write, call, and demand accountability. Sustained pressure by voters shapes decisions while elections remain free and fair.
- Defend the vulnerable. Volunteer with groups that support migrants, minorities, and those most exposed to state power.
- Vote and mobilise. Encourage turnout and civic participation at every level. For the U.S., the mid-term elections have never been more important.
- Build international solidarity. Learn from the experiences of others who have resisted authoritarian movements.
Act before it is too late
The descent of the United States into dictatorship is advancing step by step. Masked abductions, arbitrary deportations, orchestrated rituals of loyalty, and military deployments under the banner of law and order all form a coherent pattern from a well-worn authoritarian playbook.
Recognising the reality of this moment is anxiety-inducing, but it brings clarity, and clarity must be followed by courage. The antidote to anxiety is action. The question is not whether America is drifting toward authoritarian rule. The question is how we will act today for a better tomorrow.
Jonathan Meddings is an author and advocate from Melbourne, Australia.
