Who Has the Guts to Stand Up to Trump’s Authoritarian Playbook?

The Trump presidency has become a textbook case in authoritarian overreach, and the warning signs are flashing red. Viktor Orban, Hungary’s iron-fisted leader, made a critical error by allowing an election—and was swiftly booted from power. Trump faces a similar reckoning: a potential impeachment, conviction, and imprisonment loom if Congress regains control. But unlike Orban, Trump is hell-bent on nullifying the November elections themselves to cling to power.

David L. Snell’s letter to the Smoky Mountain News cuts through the noise: Trump is uniquely incapable of governing seriously. Instead, he thrives on division, flinging insults and threats at anyone who dares oppose him. His lack of ethics or respect for law has created what Snell calls a “facsimile of Frankenstein’s monster.” The Supreme Court’s recent rulings granting Trump near-immunity only fuel his belief that he is above the law.

From the January 6 Capitol insurrection to state-level gerrymandering, from the “Save America Act” to the FBI’s seizure of voting records and demands for voter rolls, Trump has waged an unprecedented assault on the integrity of American democracy. Yet Congress, both Democrats and Republicans, remain largely impotent. Democrats appear feckless, while Republicans cower in fear of Trump’s wrath.

Perhaps most chilling is Trump’s ace in the hole: ICE. This “masked, very loyal goon squad” operates with little accountability, seemingly licensed to intimidate and kill. Its role in enforcing Trump’s authoritarian agenda makes it a critical piece of his power structure.

Snell’s urgent call to action is clear: Congress must find the courage to impeach and remove Trump before it’s too late. The president’s record is littered with impeachable offenses—constitutional violations, abuses of power and pardon authority, obstruction of justice, and more.

If the midterms proceed fairly, Trump is likely to lose. But the real question is whether anyone in the political establishment has the moxie to stand up to a malignant narcissist and convicted felon. The survival of American democracy may depend on it.