When you look back at history, it’s clear that authoritarian regimes rarely seize power in a single, dramatic move. Instead, they gradually implement their plans, using the systems already in place to build control, often while their critics underestimate the growing threat. Trump’s Executive Orders and Project 2025 follow this same pattern. It isn’t just an abstract list of policies or wishful ideas, it’s a carefully designed blueprint aimed at reshaping the federal government, dismantling important safeguards, and concentrating power among a select few.
Project 2025 clocks in at just over 900 pages, and I promise you I read every single one of them. Every page is packed with details that give you a full picture of the blueprint’s ambitions.
Despite numerous warnings during the campaign, many dismissed the dangers of Project 2025, convinced that such sweeping changes would never actually come to pass. I recall many spirited conversations with friends, where I laid out the details of the document, warning it not only could happen, but if it did, society as we know it would change dramatically. Most remained skeptical, others scoffed at the notion these radical ideas would never be considered.
Today, here, we are.
Just months into Trump’s second term, the executive orders in play mirror the precise steps laid out in that document, and those who once brushed off the concerns, well, they are now witnessing the consequences firsthand.
Dismantling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programs
One of Trump’s very first moves was a rapid rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. Project 2025 painted these initiatives as superfluous, and Trump wasted no time dismantling policies meant to ensure fair hiring practices and protect workers. The message is unmistakable: equity is being stripped away, and if you don’t fit within this administration’s vision of America, you might find yourself increasingly pushed to the margins.
Schedule F and the Push for Political Loyalty
Another key element in this power grab is Schedule F. This executive order strips thousands of federal employees of job protections, allowing Trump to replace long-serving civil servants with political loyalists. While the administration argues that it’s all about improving efficiency, the effect is to ensure that agencies are staffed with individuals who are less inclined to challenge directives or push back against overreach. Essentially, it’s a pivotal step toward securing unchecked executive authority, echoing strategies used by authoritarian leaders around the world.
Environmental Deregulation and Corporate Gains
Trump once again pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement, a move that, in many ways, wiped out years of progress in addressing climate change with a single stroke. Corporate interests have long viewed environmental protections as obstacles to profit, and Project 2025 made it clear that deregulation was front and center. This decision reinforces the administration’s commitment to placing industry profits above environmental responsibility.
Seizing Control of Regulatory Agencies
The restructuring goes well beyond environmental policy. Regulatory agencies like the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission, originally designed to operate independently of political pressure, are now squarely under presidential control. Let that sink in; it’s not merely a shift in governance, it’s a calculated effort to ensure that decisions on consumer protections, media oversight, and economic regulations align strictly with the administration’s agenda.
Elon Musk’s Expanding Influence in Trump’s Administration
If Trump’s efforts to consolidate power weren’t alarming enough, billionaire Elon Musk has emerged as a surprisingly influential figure in this administration. At CPAC, Musk made a striking appearance wielding a chainsaw in a move reminiscent of Argentina’s radical president Javier Milei that sent a clear (albeit dramatic and rowdy) signal about his role in cutting federal programs.
Recent polling shows that most Americans are uneasy about Musk’s growing sway in government, especially with concerns over his access to personal data and his involvement in shutting down key federal initiatives. Despite these worries, his influence keeps expanding, raising serious questions about whether economic and technological policies will increasingly serve corporate interests over those of the people.
Military Purges and Loyalty Over Competence
Trump’s consolidation of power isn’t limited to domestic policy; it extends to the military as well. The recent purge of top military leadership is a clear sign of a deliberate effort to install loyalists in key roles.
For instance, General Charles Q. Brown, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has been dismissed; Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman on the Joint Chiefs, is out; and even General James Slife, the vice chief of the Air Force, has been removed. There are even reports that military legal experts, who help maintain justice within the armed forces, might be next on the chopping block.
Adding to this, Trump has nominated retired Lt. Gen. John Dan “Razin” Caine to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff even though he doesn’t meet the usual legal requirements for the role. This isn’t about choosing the most qualified candidate; it’s clearly about ensuring that the military is led by individuals who won’t challenge Trump’s authority.
Pushing the Limits of Presidential Power
For years, Trump casually suggested that he should remain in office beyond the constitutional two-term limit a remark many of us initially dismissed as hyperbole. But now, bolstered by a government full of loyalists and an unchecked executive branch, that idea is being floated with increasing seriousness.
Some of his allies are even claiming there might be constitutional loopholes that could allow for an extended presidency. What was once laughed off as a wild notion is now a possibility we simply can’t ignore.
Public Opinion Shifting on Trump’s Leadership
Just a few months ago, Trump supporters were proudly chanting his name. Now, some are beginning to question that loyalty. With Trump’s approval rating dropping to 45% and policies dismantling systems everyday citizens depend on, many are realizing the power they thought they were reclaiming was never really theirs, it was always designed to serve the elite.
Recent polls reveal that over half of Americans believe Trump has overstepped his authority, and there’s overwhelming opposition to his pardon of the January 6 insurrectionists. Even Republican-leaning voters are distancing themselves from his administration’s most radical moves.
The Growing Resistance to Project 2025
Across the nation, governors, legislators, and ordinary citizens are pushing back. Maine Governor Janet Mills boldly told Trump, “We’ll see you in court,” while Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker called out his authoritarian ambitions, reminding us that tyranny can only thrive when fear and silence prevail.
In town halls everywhere, people are demanding that their representatives stand up for what’s right. This isn’t just about party loyalty it’s about whether we, as Americans, will let our democracy be dismantled in broad daylight.
The warning signs are flashing, and the only question that remains is: Will we act before it’s too late?
