Trump Opposition

A crowd of protesters holds signs with messages about fear and oppression, surrounded by flags and a clear blue sky.
Flickr | Larissa Puro

➡️ RESISTING THE TRUMP REGIME - Outspoken Trump Critics & How to Resist

Many experts predicted that Donald Trump's second term would be more disruptive than his first, and what an understatement that turned out to be. As of January 2026, the president's net approval rating is -18%.

The level of widespread discontent, distrust, and downright fear has erupted into several massive protests across the country. The largest single-day protest in U.S. history took place in October 2025 to oppose Trump's policies. The No Kings protest was attended by an estimated 5 - 7 million people.

Trump's authoritarian regime has created chaos, sown division, and bred hate. During Trump 2.0, we have witnessed global imperial aggression, the mass roundup of immigrants, attacks on all social sectors, outright lies, a breakdown of democracy, and a rollback of the nation's civil and human rights.

We highlight those who are standing up to fascism with nonviolent resistance and working to galvanise opposition. Governments and citizens across the world are not helpless, and the resistance is building.

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This brilliant article by Jan Oberg in his magazine, the Transnational, entitled "Resist and Build Alternatives to the Trump Regime Now", is a must-read.

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A diverse group of protesters holds a large banner reading "STOP TRUMP! Stand Against! Racist, Anti-Immigrant, and Anti-Muslim Attacks!" at night.
Fibonacci Blue | CC BY 2.0

Trump's Disturbing Rap Sheet

  • In a blatant disregard for international law and without Congressional approval Trump ordered an attack on Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro.

  • Threatened to annex or invade Greenland at all costs.

  • Started trade wars around the world as a weapon of economic and geopolitical policy.

  • Restricted legal and illegal immigration through a series of mass deportations, border restrictions, expanding ICE authority, and ending asylum programmes and birthright citizenship.

  • Halted refugee arrivals almost entirely, lowering the ceiling to 7,500 from an average of 70,000.

  • Trump gave immunity to the ICE agent who shot and killed an unarmed U.S. citizen in Minneapolis. The state has been blocked from conducting an investigation.

  • Deployed the National Guard on peaceful protestors and arrested student protestors without charge of criminal offense.

A diverse group of protesters march down a street, holding signs advocating against deportations.
Fibonacci Blue | CC BY 2.0

  • In an attack on transgender rights, Trump issued an executive order that defines 'sex' in unscientific, narrow binary terms.

  • Attempted to hijack the Nobel Peace Prize.

  • Aggressively and comprehensively rolled back climate policies, dismantled regulations, promoted the further exploration and production of oil, and withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement for the second time.

  • Defunded huge areas of scientific research and terminated thousands of grants, amounting to billions in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

  • Weaponising the Justice Department Trump launched probes into political opponents and critics.

  • Abolished essential institutions such as USAID, effectively pausing foreign aid.

  • Aligned with Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right Israeli government, approving $12 billion in military sales to Israel since taking office.

  • Revoked dozens of Biden administration executive orders, including those on racial equity and the regulation of artificial intelligence.

  • Commuted the sentences of those convicted in the January 6 insurrection granting them full immunity.

  • Withheld more than $4 billion for public education at the start of the 2025-26 school year, allowed ICE raids in public schools, and attempts to control curriculums and text materials.

  • Fired nearly half the Department of Education workforce, leaving around 2,000 employees to oversee the education of more than 50 million school children.

  • Forced policies into the federal budget that will lead to an estimated 17 million people losing health coverage.

*****

A woman and a man hold hands triumphantly on stage, flanked by flags, with a sign reading "FIGHT OLIGARCHY" in front of them.
Gage Skidmore | CC BY-SA 2.0

Outspoken Critics

  • Bernie Sanders – Sanders is working hard to build a new progressive movement, fight oligarchy, and tax the rich. He recognises that America no longer works for working-class people. His policies include fighting for universal healthcare, tuition-free education, affordable childcare, a transition away from fossil fuels, and building affordable housing. He is a fierce critic of authoritarianism, dirty money in politics, and increasing militarisation.

  • Robert Reich – Reich describes what Americans are witnessing as "the nightmare of Trump's neofascism – its mindless cruelty, blatant attempts to silence critics, wanton destruction of much of our government, open racism and misogyny". He supports the unity and mobilisation of Americans to counter Trump's lies, attacks on democracy and the media, and the rule of law.

  • Zohran Mamdani – Mamdani has publicly labelled Trump a fascist and has accused him of violating international law with his attack on Venezuela. As the new Major of New York City he is fully committed to the working class, lowering the cost of living, supporting families, and taxing the wealthy.

  • Elizabeth Warren – Warren has likened Trump's policies to those of a dictator and called him out for failing to deliver on affordability promises. She has criticised his weaponisation of the Department of Justice, his support for the billionaire elite, his immigration policies, and his attacks on independent media and democracy.

Bar graph showing average net approval ratings for Trump’s handling of various issues, with negative values for most areas.
Statista | CC BY-ND 4.0

Building the Trump Resistance

In a summary of the must-read article by Jan Oberg, we outline some of his proposals, long-term and short-term, on how we can harness nonviolent resistance and curb the global reach of Trump and the U.S. empire.

He reminds us that "power is always dependent". If others refuse and reject orders, "even the strongest leader in the world cannot round up criminals or fight wars with his own hands".

  • DIPLOMATIC DOWNGRADING - Downgrade relations to chargé d'affaires level, pause bilateral dialogues, coordinate walkouts in NATO, UN, and the OECD, establish a coalition of states committed to international law, block U.S. candidates for global leadership roles, refuse joint communiqués, document breaches of international law, re-orient foreign policy elsewhere.

  • INTERNATIONAL LAW & TREATIES - Invoke emergency UNGA sessions under "Uniting for Peace", document treaty violations, request an ICJ advisory opinion for example on Greenland's status, give those most effected a voice, refuse to join Trump's "Peace" Board, explore options to impeach Trump worldwide, introduce a new Arctic demilitarisation treaty, embed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) into Greenland's law, impose laws against coercive annexation, create a global legal coalition of states who oppose militarisation and authoritainism.

  • ENDING SECURITY COOPERATION - Suspend joint military exercises, freeze NATO projects with U.S. leadership, restrict U.S. military territorial permissions, limit U.S. naval port calls, review U.S. foreign base agreements, cancel the 5% GDP on weapons policy, U.S. nuclear withdrawal from Europe, require the U.S. forces to cover environmental and infrastructure costs, build European autonomy, end military cooperation with the U.S. starting with small weapons, refocus to defensive defence and common security, establish a European Arctic Security Framework.

  • NORMATIVE ACTIONS GUIDED BY SOCIAL, MORAL & LEGAL NORMS - Parliamentary resolutions condemning harmful U.S. foreign policy, European Parliament warning on Arctic sovereignty, Symbolic acts such as renaming public spaces in Greenland after local leaders, celebrate and award defenders of international law and peace, reframe Arctic stewardship as a globally shared responsibility.

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American citizens are struggling under inflation, the grips of ruthless policing, increasing polarisation, a widening economic inequality gap, and weakened environmental standards. Meanwhile, internationally, the world has become more volatile, defence alliances are under threat, defence spending and nuclear proliferation have increased, trade tensions have weakened diplomatic relations, and Trump's nationalist, anti-establishment rhetoric has emboldened other populist leaders worldwide.

There are many small steps that, together, would kick-start the shift away from the U.S.'s global influence and Trump's harmful policies. Tyrants famously always come to a sticky end. The question is how long American citizens, politicians, and the international community are willing to watch the backwards slide of democracy, the erosion of law, and serious abuse of power.

"We must build a strong grassroots movement that can confront the extraordinary greed of the big money interests who have so much power over the economic and political life of our country" - Bernie Sanders

Can Trumpism be overpowered? We think so.

Author: Rachael Mellor, 28.01.26 licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

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