Trump’s State of the Union speech shows a narcissistic, sociopath who is a danger to Americans and the world

Fascism in the vein of Hitler's regime is starkly manifest in Trump's America, in its cult of personality, in threats against those that oppose him, and fervent white nationalism and white supremacy.

 

By Fareed Khan 
A version of this can be found on Substack.

In the wake of Donald Trump’s 2026 State of the Union address the United States is at a crossroads, grappling with a vision of leadership that prioritizes spectacle over substance. Delivered in the House of Representatives chamber the speech clocked in at an unprecedented 1 hour and 48 minutes, shattering records for length while offering a barrage of claims about economic revival, border security, and global dominance that were not based in reality. This marathon speech painted a picture of America resurgent under Trump’s stewardship. Yet, beneath the bravado and the chants of “USA” from Republicans in the chamber, the address revealed deeper fissures in the fabric of American democracy—echoes of a superpower diminished and declining not due to external forces, but by internal deceptions, divisions, corruption and hubris.

Trump’s narrative centred on an economy he described as “roaring” and “booming,” crediting his policies for record job growth and plummeting inflation. He boasted of unemployment holding steady at around 4.3%, with wage growth outpacing inflation and consumer confidence on the rise. However, these assertions mask a more troubling reality. Fact-checkers noted exaggerations, such as his claim of inheriting a “stagnant economy” from the previous administration, when in truth, he built upon a post-pandemic recovery already underway during Joe Biden’s last year in office. American GDP growth slowed to 1.4% in the last quarter of 2025, attributed in part to a prolonged government shutdown the prior year. Such selective storytelling fosters a culture where facts are malleable, tailored to fit a narrative of unassailable success, leaving citizens starved of objective truth and vulnerable to manipulated perceptions.

The speech’s emphasis on immigration enforcement further highlighted a troubling embrace of cruelty over humanity. Trump clashed sharply with Democrats, accusing them of prioritizing “illegal aliens” over American citizens and urging the passage of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act—a law condemned by the American Civil Liberties Union—to mandate proof of citizenship for voting. He touted mass deportations and border security as triumphs, claiming the border is now “secure” and crime rates are dropping. Yet, reports indicate that operations by what many American’s are calling the “ICE gestapo” (Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents) have led to the detention of tens of thousands, including US citizens, and at least two American deaths in custody, as well as the public shootings of two American citizens in Minnesota. This approach sees compassion as a weakness, celebrating policies that inflict suffering on vulnerable populations while ignoring the human cost. Outrage is reserved not for these injustices, but for any critique of Trump’s lies, by his army of MAGA trolls who worship the ground he walks on.

Trump’s portrayal of himself as a saviour figure—a billionaire outsider rescuing the nation from decline— was on full display. He honoured heroes like the US men’s hockey team and awarded medals, framing himself as the architect of national renewal amid the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary. Supporters on social media hailed the speech as “epic” and “thrilling,” praising his invocation of Judeo-Christian values and declaration of America as a “Christian nation,” a supreme irony given the decidedly anti-Christian practices of his administration. However, this adulation overlooks his history of legal troubles, including more than 30 convictions that his MAGA base dismisses as political persecution. The address recycled unsubstantiated claims of election fraud, sowing doubt in democratic processes and feeding conspiracy theories that sustain his grip on power.

A particularly alarming theme emerged in Trump’s foreign policy pronouncements, where he positioned the US as a dominant global force which, in reality, is wreaking calculated havoc abroad. He addressed tensions with Iran, stating they “want to make a deal more than I do” but refusing to budge on nuclear ambitions, while boasting of “Operation Midnight Hammer” that allegedly obliterated their program. He mentioned seizing 80 million barrels of Venezuelan oil following the attack on Maduro’s regime, framing it as an economic win.

Such actions, presented as triumphs, resemble unchecked aggression, scorching distant lands with the fire of American interventionism. The global community watches warily, aware that one reckless move could unleash catastrophe, where international relationships are undone due to colonial and imperialistic ambitions.

Domestically, the speech exacerbated existing divisions, splitting the nation into echo chambers of resentment. Trump lambasted Democrats for not standing during applause lines on protecting citizens, supporting victims of crimes by undocumented immigrants, or endorsing voter ID laws. Incidents like Democratic Rep. Al Green’s removal for holding a sign reading “BLACK PEOPLE AREN’T APES” underscored the racial tensions simmering beneath the surface. His base consumes these narratives through social media, where memes and half-truths nourish a worldview of supremacy, declaring that Trumpian acolytes are the true guardians of society while demonizing others as traitors.

Even the tech sector’s billionaire moguls—individuals whose vast fortunes insulate them from the everyday hardships faced by ordinary people—now display a disturbing deference to Trump’s authoritarian leanings. During the address, he proudly announced a so-called “Rate Payer Protection Pledge,“ claiming he had secured agreements with major AI and tech companies to ensure they cover their own electricity costs for power-hungry data centres, framing himself as an unrivalled master negotiator who shields everyday consumers from rising bills.

Yet this supposed triumph reveals a deeper capitulation. These once-independent titans of Silicon Valley who built empires on disruption and free inquiry, now appear to bend the knee to a leader whose governance increasingly resembles that of tyrants in authoritarian regimes. By aligning with policies that prioritize short-term optics over principled oversight, they help sustain a man who thrives on division, spectacle, and the erosion of accountability. What begins as pragmatic self-interest in powering AI ambitions risks becoming complicity in a broader fog of moral and democratic decrepitude. 

The address’s combative turn, about an hour in, shifted from optimism to grievances against the Supreme Court for striking down his global tariffs—a policy he vowed to resurrect through new means, even suggesting tariffs could eventually replace income taxes. The fact that he was critical of the four justices sitting before him (a majority refused to attend), whose job is to be a check against government overreach illustrates a leader who greets any criticism with scorn, continuing to pursue discredited ideas with renewed vigour despite their illegality, much like the fable of the emperor with no clothes being flattered by his subjects. 

As the speech unfolded, one could say that Americans were witnessing another step in the slow unravelling of world’s oldest constitutional democracy. Many of the proposals outlined in Trump’s speech, sounded appealing but lacked the legislative details, serving more as a political rallying cry aimed at the mid-term elections rather than substantive policy proposals. With approval ratings for Trump hovering lower than ever the address aimed to reset his agenda amid economic worries and a potential war with Iran. Yet, the underlying menace of his mantra, fuelled by division and disregard for norms, threatens to burn all in its path. 

The world, compelled to endure the erratic thrashings of this corrupt and dangerous leader, must fully grasp the peril. A single impulsive outburst could plunge humanity into an abyss from which there is no return. With each passing day, Trump’s decisions and decrees inch the US and the world perilously closer to the edge of catastrophe. In the face of this wounded and vigilant citizens and leaders across the globe must join forces, raising a unified chorus of condemnation and action against this harbinger of calamity, whose toxic influence threatens to shatter the very pillars of international civil society.

Though many may recoil from the truth, fascism in the vein of Hitler’s regime is starkly manifest in Trump’s America—embodied in its cult of personality, its threats and attacks on those that oppose him, and fervent white nationalism and white supremacy. It even echoes the horrors of concentration camps through detention centres that imprison the innocent, including American citizens swept up by ICE raids.

History bears grim witness to the consequences of inaction against the Nazis in the 1930s, allowing tyranny to fester and engulf the world in flames. To avert a chilling repetition, the global community must rally without delay, bolstering those who seek to excise this malignant figure and his obsequious enablers from power—not merely for America’s redemption, but for the preservation of humanity’s shared future. We must all remember that in the face of rising authoritarianism, silence is complicity, and unity is our greatest weapon against the encroaching darkness.
 

© 2026 The View From Here. © 2026 Fareed Khan. All Rights Reserved.

The world must unite against the menace of Donald Trump

Trump is a deranged force, and it is time for people in the United States, Canada, Europe, and across the globe to recognize the clear and present threat he poses... 

By Fareed Khan 
A version of this article can be found on Substack.

In an era where the fragility of democracy is laid bare, one figure stands as a stark emblem of peril—not just to the United States, but to the entire world. Donald Trump, a man whose every action and utterance reeks of malice, sociopathy, callousness, ignorance and racism, embodies a global threat that demands immediate and unified opposition. This is not hyperbole. It is a sober assessment of a leader who commits treason against his own nation with his every breath and action. His corruption surpasses that of any previous U.S. president, his self-serving nature knows no bounds, and his moral bankruptcy is matched only by his profound ignorance.

More alarmingly, Trump poses a danger eclipsing even Adolf Hitler, armed as he is with control over the world’s most potent nuclear arsenal, a military far superior to that of any other nation, and imperial ambitions that could ignite global catastrophe. He is a deranged force, an orange-tinged blight, and it is time for people in the United States, Canada, Europe, and across the globe to recognize the clear and present threat he poses, and rally together to stop him.

Trump’s pathology is evident in his relentless pursuit of power, a hunger that corrupts everything it touches. He revels in symbols of dominance, from skyscrapers emblazoned with his name, to his attempts to imprint his name on institutions that once stood for higher ideals. Consider his brazen move to associate his brand with the Kennedy Centre, a venue honouring John F. Kennedy—a president who symbolized hope and progress. This act alone sullies a legacy of American aspiration, replacing it with the crass commercialism of a man who views the presidency as an extension of his real estate empire, and a way to enrich himself.

But this is merely the surface. Beneath lies a deep-seated racism that seeks to purify the nation in his image, favouring those who are white while unleashing the forces of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on anyone who doesn’t fit his narrow racist vision of what an American should be. Under his influence, ICE operates like a modern Gestapo, targeting racialized immigrants, enforcing policies that tear families apart, and instilling fear in immigrant communities. Tragic cases, such as the alleged executions of figures like Alex Pretti and Renee Good, highlight how this agency has become a fascist cancer within American society, eroding the very principles of justice and basic humanity.

This racism is not isolated. It permeates Trump’s entire worldview, turning policy into a tool of exclusion and violence. He wags the tail of the nation like a dog, using lies upon lies to distract from his true agenda, which is fleecing the US treasury and the world through coercive tactics. His threats to take oil from Venezuela exemplify this, treating the natural wealth of sovereign nations as resources to be plundered for the benefit of the US. Tariffs imposed on trading partners worldwide serve as economic weapons, punishing allies and adversaries alike in a bid to assert global dominance. Trump is like a blood-sucking leech, draining vitality from American society and international relations. Even more disturbing are the personal horrors attributed to him—allegations of predatory behaviour towards vulnerable individuals, including young girls, which underscores a reprehensibility that shocks the conscience.

His supporters, donning their red MAGA hats sit idly by applauding as laws and constitutional rights are trampled to advance their fascist agenda. For them, loyalty to the man overrides fidelity to the republic, creating a cult-like atmosphere where accountability evaporates, not unlike how Germans viewed Hitler in his rise to power.

The danger escalates when we examine Trump’s foreign policy ambitions, which read like a blueprint for imperial conquest. He has openly mused about annexing Greenland, dismissing Denmark’s sovereignty as an inconvenience. His sabre-rattling toward Iran threatens to plunge the Middle East into further chaos, potentially sparking a conflict that could draw in global powers. Regime change in Cuba is another fixation, echoing Cold War aggressions but with modern military might. Perhaps most audaciously, he has joked—or perhaps not—about annexing Canada, treating a peaceful neighbour and ally as territory ripe for seizure. The Panama Canal, a symbol of international cooperation, is similarly in his sights, with vows to reclaim control through whatever means necessary. Trump has made clear that he will deploy any force he deems suitable to achieve his foreign policy goals, whether economic pressure, military intervention, or outright invasion. These are not idle threats. They stem from a mindset that views the world as a zero-sum game, where America’s gain requires the subjugation of others.

Compounding this external menace is Trump’s systematic dismantling of domestic institutions. He has shut down or severely cut back funding for critical agencies, fired top government and military officials—seasoned experts with decades of experience—replacing them with unqualified MAGA acolytes whose primary qualification is unwavering loyalty to him. This purge echoes the authoritarian playbook, where competence is sacrificed for sycophancy. Intelligence chiefs, generals, and senior officials with careers in the government who dared question his whims were ousted, leaving voids filled by ideologues ill-equipped to handle complex crises. The result is a government hollowed out, more prone to blunders that could have worldwide repercussions. Imagine a nuclear decision made not by strategic minds but by yes-men eager to please a volatile leader. This internal rot amplifies the global risk, as a weakened U.S. apparatus becomes a source of instability rather than stability.

To grasp the full scope of the threat, we must draw historical parallels, painful as they are. The last time a man of such malignant character seized control of a powerful nation, it led to World War Two—a conflagration that claimed over 70 million lives and left swaths of Europe and the Far East in ruins. Hitler, too, was underestimated at first, dismissed as a bombastic figure with fringe appeal. Yet his racism, desire for territorial expansion, cult of personality, and goal to “Deutschland wieder groß machen” (Make Germany great again), ignited a horror that reshaped the world. Trump, while not identical, shares eerie similarities--the demonization of minorities, the deconstruction of important government institutions, the erosion of democratic norms, and the pursuit of expanding American territory.

But unlike Hitler, Trump commands a nuclear arsenal capable of ending civilization in minutes, the most powerful military in the world with unparalleled reach, and social media platforms with well over 150 millions followers collectively. His ambitions to invade and occupy other nations could trigger the fracture of decades old alliances, collapse economies, and escalate conflicts into military exchanges that could go nuclear. The people of the United States are bearing the immediate brunt—through eroded rights, economic uncertainty, and social division—but the ripple effects threaten people around the world. Canadians face the spectre of annexation, Europeans the fallout from transatlantic rifts, and nations worldwide the chaos of disrupted trade, fractured supply lines, and heightened militarism.

This is why unity to confront the Trump threat is not optional, it is imperative. People in the U.S. must mobilize through votes, protests, and civic engagement to reclaim their democracy. Congress and the Senate hold the power to check this deranged lunatic—through investigations, impeachments, or legislative barriers—but they have too often faltered, cowed by fear and partisan pressures. Beyond America’s borders, Canada should fortify its sovereignty by pushing back against any encroachment with diplomatic resolve, international alliances, and increased investments in its military. Europeans, drawing from their own history of resisting tyranny, must strengthen NATO and economic ties with nations outside Europe to counter Trump.

Around the world—from Asia to Africa to Latin America—leaders and citizens alike should condemn his aggressions, forming coalitions to isolate his regime economically and politically. International bodies like the United Nations must amplify voices against his threats, while civil society groups coordinate global campaigns to expose his corruption, and push narratives that demonstrate how dangerous he really is.

In the US and overseas there are likely many who are praying for the Trump nightmare to end quickly. But prayer alone is insufficient, what is needed is decisive action. Americans, Canadians and Europeans cannot wait for the blight that is Donald Trump to consume more ground. Trump’s hold on power must be broken, not through violence, but through the collective will of free peoples. Educators should teach the lessons of history to prevent its repetition, journalists must speak truth to power without fear, and everyday citizens must not only engage in dialogue that bridges divides, but also be unafraid to speak out against fascist narratives. In the U.S., this means supporting civil society groups and independent institutions demanding accountability from elected officials. Internationally, it involves solidarity pacts that protect vulnerable nations from his predations.

Yet, the path forward demands nuance. While Trump’s flaws are glaring, the opposition must avoid descending into the same sort of divisiveness he fosters. Unity against him should be rooted in shared values—democracy, human rights, and international cooperation—rather than mere antagonism. By focusing on these principles, we can build a post-Trump era that is more resilient and just. The alternative is unthinkable--a slide toward authoritarianism that could dwarf the devastations of the 1930s and 1940s.

Ultimately Donald Trump represents an existential threat that transcends borders. His sociopathy, megalomania, racism, and fascist impulses endanger not only Americans but the global order. This is a man who can fairly be described as truly sick, a force of extortion and horror that must be stopped. The world has faced such dangers before, and emerged bruised and battered but stronger through unity. Now, as in the shadow of World War Two, we must rise together—Americans, Canadians, Europeans, and all global citizens—to ensure that this orange faced lunatic does not drag us into abyss. The time for action is now. Delay invites disaster. For the sake of our shared humanity and the future of our planet let us commit to this cause, and not repeat the mistakes that allowed a madman in the 1930s to set the world ablaze.

© 2026 The View From Here. © 2026 Fareed Khan. All Rights Reserved.

Trump’s treasonous acts are rotting the soul of the US and destroying American democracy

Donald Trump’s presidency is the opening act of America's tragic decline. By rotting the nation’s collective soul he irreversibly embeds fascism into the heart of US political culture.

By Fareed Khan 
A version of this article can be found on Substack.

A nation can survive its fools as leaders and even their ambitions. But it cannot survive treason from within, and that is what Donald Trump is committing—treason against the United States since he was re-elected in 2024. In most instances the traitor doesn’t appear as a traitor but rather as someone who speaks in language and ideas familiar to their victims, appealing to the basest instincts that lie deep within the hearts of all human beings. But when in power, they rot the soul of a nation with their policies and actions, working secretly and openly to undermine its foundational pillars. They infect the body politic so deeply that it can no longer resist their machinations. One could even say that in some ways they are to be more feared than hardened criminals.

As the world enters the second year of Donald Trump’s second presidency, the US (and the world) stands at a precipice. Trump’s return to the White House, admittedly a remarkable political resurrection, has also been a harbinger of an irreversible decline. His leadership and the people in his administration are systematically eroding the moral and institutional foundations of the US, transforming it from a supposed beacon of democracy into a hollow shell of authoritarianism. This is not hyperbole but a sober assessment drawn from historical parallels and contemporary analyses. Trump’s presidency is rotting the soul of America, initiating a long decline from superpower status that future administrations will be unlikely to reverse.

Consider the soul of a nation as its collective ethos—the shared values of liberty, justice, and human dignity that American leaders have used to define the nation since its founding. Trump has assaulted this ethos in a relentless fashion since his first administration. His rhetoric, laced with divisive and dehumanizing language, has normalized hatred and eroded empathy in American society. As one critical essay noted, Trump embodies a reflection of America’s darker impulses, much like the portrait in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, revealing the ugliness beneath the surface. His policies and pronouncements have fostered a culture where truth is malleable, facts are “alternative,” and dissent is branded as terrorism or disloyalty. This corrosion is evident in the surge of political violence and polarization that has intensified since his first election in 2016. Scholars have argued that Trump’s presidency destroyed virtues essential to national ambition like intellectualism and integrity, leading to a shredding of the nation’s moral fabric.

This rotting of America’s soul, which has been in progress for years, is inextricably linked to the nation’s slow decline as a global superpower. For decades, the US has maintained its hegemony through military might, economic dominance, and soft power—while trumpeting the allure of its democratic ideals. Under Trump, these pillars are deteriorating. His isolationist “America First” agenda has alienated allies, weakened international institutions, and emboldened adversaries like Russia and China. Analyses by senior officials from the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations highlight how Trump’s decisions have systematically shrunk the US from a global leader to a regional power, with irreversible damage to its credibility. The abandonment of multilateral agreements, such as his threats to withdraw from NATO and pull back from multiple international institutions and bodies, has signalled to the world that America is unreliable as a partner and an ally. As one report starkly puts it, Trump’s administration is steadily undermining US power, creating a more chaotic international order where American influence diminishes with every passing day. And this decline is structural not temporary. The erosion of trust in the US by its allies and trading partners means that even if the Democrats regained power they would struggle to rebuild alliances and friendships, marking the beginning of a long, inexorable slide from superpower status.

Central to this transformation is Trump’s pushing the US toward fascism, epitomized by his weaponization of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as a modern day gestapo, his scapegoating of immigrants and the LGBTQ2 and his systematic efforts to delegitimize democratic institutions. Under Trump’s directives, ICE has expanded into a paramilitary force with a budget surpassing all other policing agencies combined, instigating deadly violence on the streets of American cities, conducting raids, mass deportations, and surveillance that echo the tactics of authoritarian regimes. Reports from human rights observers describe ICE operations as intensifying in a manner reminiscent of Nazi Germany’s Gestapo, with agents employing fear and brutality to enforce draconian policies.

Trump’s rhetoric about immigrants as “vermin” and “poisoning the blood” of America draws directly from Hitler’s playbook, dehumanizing entire populations to justify state violence. This is not mere enforcement of immigration law, it is the building of an authoritarian state apparatus. Critics of Trump’s regime argue that he has successfully created a fascist state through his policies and actions—a nation that fought fascism in World War Two at great cost has become a fascist authoritarian state, where loyalty to Trump’s personality cult supersedes the rule of law, and dissent is crushed under the guise of security.

However, the most chilling aspect of Trump’s embrace of fascism is that it is not confined to Trump himself. It is embedded in the MAGA movement that is the foundation of his power, and the people around him, ensuring it will not disappear even if Trump leaves the stage through impeachment, defeat, or death. Figures like Vice President J.D. Vance—a one-time critic of Trump who compared him to Hitler—embody this enduring threat. He has become a fervent disciple, echoing the fascist undertones of MAGA ideology with appeals to raw power and exclusionary, racist nationalism.

Analyses of Trumpism describe it as a form of authoritarianism that radicalizes in office, with leaders like Vance and cabinet members worshipping at the altar of Trump’s ideology and his personality cult. The cabinet, stocked with loyalists who prioritize personal allegiance over constitutional duty, includes ideologues who push for policies that entrench fascist elements—such as mass surveillance, voter suppression, and the erosion of judicial independence. Even if Trump vanished, these true believers would continue to carry his torch, even as fascism in America becomes a cancer and not the personal quirk of one man. Scholars warn that utilizing terms like “fascism” to describe what is happening in the US is politically essential to mobilize against this movement, which has realigned political and economic grievances into nationalist exclusion.

Beyond America’s borders, Trump’s fixation on the Arctic poses existential dangers to Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and Norway. As Arctic nations, these countries not only control vital resources but also strategic sea lanes that will become increasingly contested due to climate change and thawing Arctic ice. Trump’s repeated threats to seize Greenland—which he framed as essential for US security—reveal a colonial and imperialist mindset that treats sovereign territories as real estate that can be bought or threatened into the arms of the US. His administration views the Arctic as a battleground against Russia and China, but his aggressive rhetoric has escalated tensions, putting allies at risk. For Canada, this means heightened vulnerability in the Arctic, where Trump’s complaints about inadequate defences could lead to coercive demands or unilateral US actions on or over Canadian territory in the far north.

Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous Danish territory, faces direct threats of annexation which could destabilize NATO and invite broader conflicts, despite Trump’s recent walk back. Key Arctic allies Iceland and Norway, are similarly endangered by Trump’s zero-sum approach, which prioritizes American dominance over cooperative security. Experts argue that Trump’s Greenland gambit exposes the costs of overt aggression, risking monumental fallout across the NATO alliance. This obsession exposes Trump’s ignorance, political folly and antipathy towards international relations and diplomacy that endangers the delicate balance that has maintained stability in the Arctic for more than a century.

Ultimately, Donald Trump’s presidency is not just another chapter in American history but the opening act of its tragic decline. By rotting the nation’s collective soul with the ugliness of his political vision, fostering fascism through institutions like ICE, initiating racist immigration policies, and vilifying immigrants, minorities and anyone who opposes him, Trump is embedding an irreversible authoritarian movement into the heart of US political culture, and setting the nation on a path from which recovery seems impossible in the short term. The dangers also extend northward, threatening Canada and its Arctic neighbours with a belligerent hegemonic power fixated on territorial expansion.

History teaches us that empires fall not from external foes but from internal rot, and the US is no exception—its foundations crumbling under the weight of division, deceit, and demagoguery sown by a leader who prioritizes and covets absolute power over principle. From the Roman Empire’s descent into corruption and tyranny to the British Empire’s erosion through moral decay and overreach, the pattern is clear—nations implode when their core values are poisoned from within, and when they allow personalities into positions of leadership who crave political and economic supremacy at home and abroad.

The Trump era has accelerated America’s decay, turning democratic institutions into tools of oppression, eroding trust in government, and normalizing hatred that fractures communities and silences dissent. It is time for the world—and Americans themselves—to recognize Trump’s treason from within as the insidious betrayal it truly is—a deliberate assault on liberty, equality, and justice that echoes the darkest chapters of history. Americans must act with unyielding resolve, through global solidarity, vigilant advocacy, and unwavering resistance, before the pillars of American democracy collapse entirely, leaving behind a hollow shell of what was once a nation that saw itself a beacon of democracy and freedom, and dragging its neighbours and allies into the abyss of instability and conflict.

© 2026 The View From Here. © 2026 Fareed Khan. All Rights Reserved.

The unrestrained madness of Donald Trump is a threat to global peace and stability

Trump’s actions will have long-lasting negative repercussions geopolitically and economically, destabilizing the global order. . .From the wreckage Trump is making we must rebuild a global order rooted in moral authority. 

 
By Fareed Khan 
A version of this article can be found on Substack.

In the streets of our imagination, picture a deranged man wielding a knife, darting erratically through crowds, shouting threats, slashing at bystanders, and occasionally delivering a fatal blow. The authorities—police chiefs, community leaders, politicians—wring their hands, complain loudly about the chaos, but then do nothing to intervene. They watch as the violent rampage escalates, the man emboldened by their inaction to ratchet up his violent assaults.

This is not a scene from a horror film but rather an apt metaphor for Donald Trump’s presidency since he returned to the Oval Office in January 2025. Trump, the man who once boasted he could shoot someone on New York City’s Fifth Avenue without losing support, now acts with impunity, “murdering” the norms of democracy at home and abroad. He unleashes policies that harm all Americans, Venezuelans in Caracas, Cubans, and others across the Caribbean and Latin America. He is unconstrained neither by domestic laws, congressional oversight from a compliant Republican majority, nor by judicial checks from a Supreme Court conservative majority, or international law that he treats as toothless. As he told a New York Times reporter, “The only thing that can stop me is my own morality. My own mind.” This self-proclaimed and extremely flawed moral compass guides a domestic (and foreign) policy of aggression, one where armed agents of ICE, border security, and homeland security intimidate or worse, target racialized immigrants, anti-genocide demonstrators, and perceived political opponents.

Since his return to office everyone, including many political opponents, have given wide berth to this unconstrained madman, fearing his ire will be directed at them. As has been amply demonstrated over the past year, Trump’s power to silence and extort extends to powerful media organizations, universities, major law firms, prominent cultural institutions, Wall Street, corporations, and foreign nations. Yet, as Robert Reich, Labor Secretary during the Clinton era, noted in a prescient piece, an unconstrained madman who reveals his danger also galvanizes resistance. The more Trump’s violence is out in the open, the larger the push back, both domestically and internationally. Peaceful protests against his policies are spreading, and traditional allies are banding together against him. But in this second term, the rampage feels more unhinged, more lethal, because the safeguards that once existed are gone.

During Trump’s first administration, there were “adults in the room”—figures like James Mattis, John Kelly, and Rex Tillerson—who, despite their flaws, provided some restraint on his megalomania and impulsive insanity. These establishment Republicans and military veterans acted as guardrails, tempering his worst instincts on issues like withdrawing from NATO or erratic foreign military adventures. They weren’t perfect because they enabled much of his agenda, but they prevented total catastrophe. Mattis, for instance, reportedly convinced Trump against torturing detainees or assassinating foreign leaders outright. Kelly managed the chaos in the White House, imposing order where there was none. Even critics who mocked the “adults in the room” narrative now admit, in hindsight, that their presence mitigated damage. As one analyst put it, they were the moderating influence that kept the toddler-president from burning down the house.

In stark contrast, Trump’s second administration is devoid of such figures. He has surrounded himself with butt-kissers, boot-lickers, and MAGA acolytes who worship at the altar of his personality cult. These are not independent thinkers but enablers, echoing his every whim without question. Figures like Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff who proclaimed in an interview on CNN that the world is governed by strength, force, and power—the “iron laws” since time immemorial—embody this sycophantic ethos. Miller’s nativist bigotry now drives policy unchecked. The cabinet is filled with loyalists who prioritize Trump’s ego over expertise, people who are election deniers, conspiracy theorists, and opportunists who see his power as their opportunity. This inner circle is no different from the sycophants who surrounded Adolf Hitler as he launched his campaign to “Make Germany Great Again.” Hitler’s enablers—Goebbels, Himmler, Göring—flattered his delusions, amplified his hatreds, and executed his madness without moral qualms. Similarly, Trump’s team nods along as he shreds alliances, threatens invasions, and dismantles institutions, all in service to his cult of personality.

At this juncture in history, Trump poses a danger to the world comparable to Hitler in the 1930s. While not identical—Trump hasn’t orchestrated genocide (yet)— the parallels in their authoritarian playbooks are chilling. Both rose amid economic discontent, scapegoating minorities and “elites.” Both promised national revival through strength and exclusion. Hitler dismantled the Weimar Republic’s fragile democracy, and Trump assaults America’s institutions, from the Justice Department to the free press. In the 1930s, Hitler withdrew from the League of Nations, remilitarized the Rhineland, and annexed Austria, testing the world’s resolve. Today, Trump has shredded the imperfect but functional international order that maintained global peace since World War 2. He pulled the US from the Paris Climate Accord, withdrew from the World Health Organization, and effectively renounced the 1951 Refugee Convention. His executive order mandating a review of all multilateral organizations and treaties signals the potential end of US involvement in the UN itself. In Venezuela, he ordered a brazen attack to seize President Nicolás Maduro, violating sovereignty and echoing 19th-century gunboat diplomacy. Threats to annex Greenland and Canada, invade Mexico, or bomb Colombia flout international law, replacing rules with raw power. As one expert warns, this is “shattering the post-World War 2 order as never before,” leaving a world unrecognizable.

Trump’s actions will have long-lasting negative repercussions geopolitically and economically, destabilizing the global order. The post-WW2 framework—built on military alliances like NATO, trade bodies like the World Trade Organization, and norms against aggression—prevented another world war for eight decades. Trump treats these all as a burden and constraint on American power, imposing tariffs that fracture supply chains, weaponize economic integration, and exploit vulnerabilities. His “America First” agenda accelerates great-power rivalry, emboldening Russia and China. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which Trump has tacitly supported by withholding aid to the Ukrainians, mirrors Hitler’s early aggressions. Economically, his tariffs and isolationism disrupt global markets, fuelling inflation and uncertainty. The world economy, already fragile, faces further chaos as alliances fray and trade wars escalate due to Trump’s actions.

In all of this those who will pay the biggest price are the least powerful—the weak, the economically impoverished, and average consumers. As prices rise for essentials, the burden falls heaviest on the vulnerable. Food, in particular, has seen unprecedented inflation in Western economies over the past few years. In the US beef and veal prices surged 16.4% year-over-year in 2025, driven by a shrinking American cattle herds. Coffee jumped 1.9% monthly in December 2025, reaching $9.05 per pound. Eggs spiked dramatically, with retail prices falling only after peaks in 2023-2024 but still elevated due to the culling of chickens battered by avian flu outbreaks. Wheat prices, volatile since the start of Russia-Ukraine war, decreased 11.1% in 2025 but remain high overall. Sugar and dairy products also saw sharp rises, with “other foods” like sweets up 31% since 2020.

These increases, compounded by Trump’s tariffs on imports, hit low-income households hardest, eroding purchasing power for basic life necessities. In the US, food inflation outpaced overall inflation at 3.1% annually in 2025, up 19% since 2022. Globally, the FAO Food Price Index averaged 127.2 points in 2025, 4.3% higher than 2024. The poor, already struggling, face malnutrition and hardship as Trump’s destabilization ripples through commodity markets around the world.

This is where “middle powers”—as articulated by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in his Davos speech—must step up. Carney warned of a “rupture, not a transition” in the global order, urging middle powers like Canada, Australia, South Korea, France, the UK and others to act together. “If we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu,” he declared, calling for collective resistance against great-power coercion. These nations need to do more than talk and hold meetings. They must behave as if they are already at war with the Trump’s disruptive force. Appeasing him—through concessions on trade or security—will only invite further chaos and instability. History shows appeasement of Hitler in the 1930s led to war, and today the same policy with Trump risks repeating that dark chapter. In the face of this possible future middle powers should fortify alliances, diversify trade, bolster multilateral institutions, dramatically boost defence spending, and counter Trump’s unilateralism with coordinated diplomacy. As Carney emphasized, the power of legitimacy, integrity, and rules can prevail if wielded boldly.

If we are to accept Miller’s argument of the “iron laws” of strength and force, and the world were governed solely by might, then we would be in perpetual warfare, with no safety for anyone. We must strive for nations and a world governed by laws, rules, and norms that constrain the powerful, including Trump and the fascist thugs around him.

The struggle we face will be unlike anything witnessed in our lifetimes. It will not be won through aggression, but through unwavering commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and social justice. We will stop Trump with resolute determination—so that our children and grandchildren never live under a dictatorship. We cannot allow despair, fear, or paralysis to take hold, nor can we abandon the principles that define us.

From the wreckage Trump is making of the institutions and laws that have shaped our imperfect world, we will rebuild a society and global order rooted in moral authority rather than bombs. A world where greatness is measured by shared prosperity, not by the concentrated wealth of billionaires or the grip of fascist oligarchs. As in World War II, this is a battle we must win—and then, just as crucially, we must rebuild. Because that is the only path forward we have.

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