A Coup Is Unfolding Before Our Eyes. Here’s What You Can Do
Democracies don’t die in darkness.
They die in broad daylight.
Over the past three weeks, President Donald Trump and his shadow president, Elon Musk, have worked swiftly to undermine America’s founding principles.
Their attempts to freeze federal grants and tax imports from Canada and Mexico — a move that would increase costs for all Americans — made headlines. But the real danger is unfolding quietly — not with tanks in the streets but with hard drives, spreadsheets and bureaucratic maneuvers.
Historically, strongmen rise with the backing of the wealthy elite.
There’s no one wealthier than Elon Musk, the unelected South African-bred billionaire Trump tapped to run the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. Despite the official-sounding name, DOGE is not an actual federal agency. That would require congressional approval.
Musk, who spent $277 million on Trump’s reelection, now wields outsized power.
Over the weekend, a 25-year-old Musk employee seized control of the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, giving him control over an estimated $5.5 trillion in government spending — IRS refunds, Medicare, Social Security — with no oversight.
A few days later, amid public outcry, the Treasury claimed the data Musk obtained was “read-only.” Musk, however, bragged on his social media platform about blocking payments to a Lutheran charity.
If Musk can cut off funds to a group he dislikes, what’s stopping him from cutting off tax refunds to ordinary Americans or leaking financial data to other bad actors?
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio touted El Salvador’s offer to house deportees and imprisoned American citizens in a “mega-prison.”
Musk moved to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development, despite Congress controlling its funding. Remember from fourth-grade civics: Congress has the power of the purse and the president is obliged to “faithfully execute the laws.” Congress pointedly has not stripped the funding that’s been redirected.
The billionaire’s purge of federal employees has expanded to the CIA and FBI, with Jan. 6 prosecutors already fired.
And what of grocery prices — the reason many Americans voted for Trump last November?
Last week, amid the tariff push, the president said inflation would likely get worse. “We may have, in the short term, a little pain,” he said.
Call it Trump’s “let them eat cake” moment.
If all this feels overwhelming, that’s the point. Flood the zone, exhaust the opposition, and watch democracy die.
But you’re not powerless.
- Seek out and support trustworthy sources of information.
- Take note and speak out when norms are broken.
- Organize locally. Pro-democracy groups are mobilizing. Get involved.
- Attend municipal and school board meetings. These are the places where you can have the greatest and most immediate impact.
- Call your U.S. Senate and Congressional offices — daily if possible. Let them know directly and personally how you feel about the appointees they’re confirming and the legislation they’re voting on.
The time is now. Start small. Don’t stop.