21 Feb 2025 6 min read

The Next Phase of Trumpism

Intimidation, Retaliation, and the Death of State Autonomy

Trump’s attack on Maine Governor Janet Mills is not just another instance of political rhetoric. It's an authoritarian flex, a direct threat that falls squarely within a historical pattern used by leaders seeking to consolidate power: publicly intimidate officials, isolate them, and make defiance personally costly.

This latest moment—where Trump threatened Mills’ job, livelihood, and autonomy over state decisions—must be understood not as an isolated event, but as part of a broader and escalating strategy. This is the same tactic he used against Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer in 2020, Georgia’s Brad Raffensperger in 2021, and various judges and prosecutors who have ruled against him.

The implications are clear. If left unchecked, Trump’s trajectory will lead to a political landscape where officials no longer govern by law, but by fear. Trump’s threats mirror the power grabs of the early 1930s.

I. The Authoritarian Playbook: How Trump’s Tactics Mirror 1930s Germany

Trump’s threat against Governor Mills—demanding compliance with his policies under the threat of political and personal ruin—is not simply bullying. It is a well-documented strategy used by authoritarians to dismantle institutional resistance and centralize power.

In early Nazi Germany, Hitler faced a similar challenge: while he had national authority, many state and local officials remained independent. He needed to break them.

1. Gleichschaltung: The Forced Coordination of State Power

In 1933, Hitler and the Nazi Party began a systematic effort known as Gleichschaltung, or “co-ordination.” The goal was simple: force governors, judges, and local leaders into submission—or remove them.

Prussian officials who opposed Hitler were arrested or pressured into resignation.
Bavarian Governor Heinrich Held was forcibly removed when he resisted Nazi control.
Local judges who ruled against Nazi policies were harassed, replaced, or physically attacked.

The strategy was straightforward: make an example of those who defy, so that others will preemptively submit.

This is precisely what Trump is doing now.

Governor Mills has been targeted for enforcing state laws that Trump opposes.
The threat is personal: comply, or face political and economic destruction.
The goal is to make her—and all governors—fear federal punishment for defying Trump’s will.

This is not about policy. This is about power.

II. Trump’s Ongoing Pattern of Threats Against Officials

Trump’s attack on Mills is not unique. It is part of a documented strategy of threatening and punishing officials who refuse to obey him.

1. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (2020-Present)

Whitmer enforced COVID-19 safety measures.
Trump vilified her, calling her a dictator and fueling far-right anger.
His supporters chanted "lock her up" at rallies, reinforcing her as an enemy.
This rhetoric directly influenced an extremist plot to kidnap and execute her.

2. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (2020-2021)

Trump personally called Raffensperger, demanding he "find" enough votes to overturn Georgia’s election results.
When Raffensperger refused, Trump publicly attacked him, falsely accusing him of corruption.
The result: death threats against Raffensperger and his family.

3. Judges and Prosecutors Handling Trump’s Cases (2023-Present)

Judge Juan Merchan, who oversaw Trump’s criminal trial, has been personally attacked by Trump.
Trump’s followers have threatened Merchan’s family, escalating intimidation tactics.
Prosecutors like Letitia James and Fani Willis have faced racist, misogynistic harassment as part of Trump’s campaign against them.

The pattern is unmistakable: Trump uses personal threats, public humiliation, and real-world intimidation to break officials and deter others from resisting him.

III. The Immediate Future: What This Means for the Next 12 Months

Trump’s strategy is not static—it is escalating. If this pattern continues, the next year will bring:

1. Increased Direct Threats Against Governors and Judges

Trump’s rhetoric will become even more aggressive .
More state officials will be pressured to follow his dictates under threats of economic and political punishment.
Expect governors, secretaries of state, and judges to receive even more targeted harassment.
This will end in executions.

2. A Chilling Effect on Government Officials

Officials will pre-emptively comply with Trump’s demands rather than face the consequences.
Election workers, already resigning due to safety concerns, will further dwindle.
Secretaries of state may refuse to certify election results against Trump for fear of retribution.

3. Normalization of Political Retribution

Trump is using the DOJ to prosecute his enemies.
Opposition governors, prosecutors, and political figures will face real legal retaliation.
The justice system itself has been weaponized against dissent.

4. The Rise of Political Violence

Trump’s attacks on Whitmer led to a kidnapping plot.
His election lies led to January 6.
His threats against judges and prosecutors have increased violent rhetoric.
Expect more direct attacks against officials as Trump’s words translate into action.

We are not moving toward normal politics. We are moving toward a regime where power is maintained through coercion, fear, and force.

IV. The Long-Term Future: Trumpism is Our Reality

The trajectory is clear.

1. Immediate Retaliation Against Opponents

Governors like Mills and others will be directly targeted.
Federal funds will be stripped from defiant states.
Trump will demand states fall in line—or be punished.

2. The Judiciary Will Be Purged

Judges who ruled against Trump will be removed and replaced.
The DOJ no longer operates independently.
The Supreme Court will be used to cement Trump’s legal authority.

3. Elections Will Be Fully Controlled

Trump has already tried to overturn elections. 2024 was the last real election.
Secretaries of state will be handpicked to ensure favourable results.
Election oversight will shift from neutral bodies to Trump loyalists.

4. The End of Democratic Governance

Media outlets critical of Trump will face legal retaliation.
Opposition leaders will face investigations and political imprisonment.
State governments will lose their independence.

This is not speculation. This is what happens when leaders use threats to dismantle opposition.

V. The Warning We Cannot Ignore

Trump’s attack on Janet Mills is not a moment. It's a movement. It's the latest step in a long march toward authoritarian control.

History has warned us: once these tactics succeed, they do not stop—they escalate.

If Trump’s threats are left unchecked:

Defiance will disappear.
Fear will rule governance.
America will no longer be a democracy in anything but name.

We are not years away from authoritarianism. We are living it. Today.

The question is not if Trump will continue this path.

The question is: will we stop him, or will we let history repeat itself?

This is an American problem. And a human problem.

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This is how democracies die: not all at once, but when resistance becomes too dangerous.

History warns us. Will we listen?

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