Trump's 5-step fascist plan

On Friday, Trump posted a video featuring an image of President Biden hog-tied — with hands and feet bound together.

- Robert Reich

Trump has previously posted doctored photos and videos depicting him physically attacking Biden, such as hitting Mr. Biden with golf balls.

It’s all part of Trump’s 5-step fascist plan.

In a previous column, I laid out the defining traits of fascism and how MAGA Republicans embody them, and I suggested that Trump and his lackeys shouldn’t be seen as simply “authoritarian.” They need to be understood as fascists.

But how could Trump actually turn America into a fascist state?

In five steps, which he’s already signaled he plans to take. Here they are:

Step 1: Use threats of violence to gain power. 

Hitler and Mussolini relied on their vigilante militias to intimidate voters and local officials. We watched Trump try to do the same in 2020. Even before he incited the attack on the US Capitol, he said on national television: “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.”

Now, Trump is vilifying his political opponents as “vermin” who needed to be “rooted out.” He shows an image of Biden hog-tied.

After Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg requested a gag order, providing some 300 pages of exhibits documenting the real-world consequences of Trump’s attacks, Judge Juan Merchan found the filing persuasive. Last week, he said Trump’s statements: “were threatening, inflammatory, denigrating, and the targets of his statements ranged from local and federal officials, court and court staff, prosecutors and staff assigned to the cases, and private individuals including grand jurors performing their civic duty,” citing Bragg’s filing, [and had caused] “the assignment of increased security resources to investigate threats and protect the individuals and family members” of those Trump targeted.