Trump is something worse than a fascist

[marmar]

Trump is something worse than a fascist
We've been using the wrong word to describe the president and his approach to ruling

By Heather Digby Parton
Columnist
Published January 15, 2026 6:30AM (EST)


(Salon) Two weeks into the new year, the Trump administration has already deposed a foreign leader, bombed several countries, threatened to invade several more, unleashed a secret police force on the city of Minneapolis — killing one protester, shooting an immigrant in the leg and brutalizing many others — and started a criminal investigation, based on bogus evidence, on the chair of the Federal Reserve. It’s a lot. So perhaps it’s not entirely surprising that Donald Trump giving a two-hour interview to the New York Times has been somewhat ignored.

That’s too bad. Considering all those events and more, the conversation is an interesting insight into his thinking. As much as we think we know about how his mind works, the president’s interview with four Times reporters showed that he has evolved into something much more dangerous than he was in his first term.

....(snip)....

The better definition for Trumpism is an ancient word that should nonetheless be familiar to anyone who recalls the founding ideals of this country: tyranny. Plato saw it as an inevitable consequence of democracy, when a quest for freedom leads to excess and the populace demands a strongman. He defined it, more or less, as rule for himself rather than the common good, maintained under a system of fear and violence, and characterized by repression of the citizenry — particularly those who are educated and ethical — while relying on lackeys to carry out the tyrant’s wishes and whims.

....(snip)....

You can see this in Trump’s character every day. He is not interested in ideology or philosophy. The president believes in himself and himself alone, and he has been so successful at evading all accountability for everything he’s done in his life that he sees himself as invulnerable. That has freed him to rule completely by whim. ..................(more)

https://www.salon.com/2026/01/15/trump-is-something-much-worse-than-a-fascist/

[rampartd]

1. totalitarian

trump must control the thoughts of his cult. this is defined as "totalitarian"

[hedda_foil]

2. Yes, that's what he is -- a classic tyrant.

[Solly Mack]

3. Hitler was a tyrant. Germany was fascist under his rule. No two fascist governments were exactly the same

but they shared common attributes defining them as fascist:

Militaristic - might makes right, all hail the power of...

Nationalism - all things for the glory of the state, allegiance to the state, and the head of state - a tyrant. The state being defined to exclude those considered undesirables.

Disregard for democracy by the people.

Hate of liberal culture and politics.

Rule by elites, with them as the elites

The needs of the people subordinate to the needs of the state. The state will tell you want you need in life.

Trump is behaving like a tyrant but don't think for a second he needs to be invested in some ideology or philosophy in order to use the word fascism - that was what Project 2025 was for - and his enablers are OK with Trump's lack of interests, as long as he continues to promote theirs - and he is. They were waiting for (and working toward) someone like Trump to unleash themselves from the tethers of norms, rules, regulations, and laws. With Trump, they could blast away unhindered at the foundations and destroy government from within.

Yes, he's a tyrant - but yes, we are living under American fascism, which is what MAGA is.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. He's a predatory capitalist holding the highest office in the country.

[CrispyQ]

5. It's not just Trump. The whole system is corrupt with big money.

The founders never imagined two branches of government would surrender their power to one. Publicly funded elections would fix a lot of our problems. Strict & shorter campaign seasons, too. Americans are sick & tired of our non-stop political campaign cycle & the constant plea for money. Our electoral process has been turned into a huge profit-making industry, & the ones who can change it are a subset of those who benefit from it.