The No Kings movement is ramping up efforts against what it terms Donald Trump’s “authoritarian breakthrough” during his second term in the presidency. This collaborative effort involves training and mobilizing pro-democracy activists across the nation, drawing inspiration from historical resistance movements. The article examines how these strategies aim to counter authoritarian tendencies and foster democratic resilience.
Mobilizing the Masses: The No Kings Movement
The “No Kings” movement is intensifying its initiatives to counter Donald Trump’s “authoritarian breakthrough.” Recently, they hosted a video conference call with over 130,000 pro-democracy activists, aiming to build on the momentum from widespread anti-Trump street protests. The “Good Trouble Lives On” demonstrations, inspired by Civil Rights icon John Lewis, epitomize this ongoing resistance effort.
The 90-minute video conference focused on “strategic non-cooperation” to disrupt the increasingly authoritarian Trump administration. Led by the grassroots organization Indivisible, it featured Daniel Hunter from Choose Democracy, who shared his expertise in resisting authoritarian regimes, such as in Myanmar.
Understanding Authoritarian Breakthrough
The tone of the conference was markedly serious, depicting U.S. democracy as facing an existential threat with only a “coin-flip” chance to overcome Trump’s ambitions. Hunter described the “authoritarian breakthrough” as a phase where a potential autocrat is consolidating power by eliminating checks that prevent impunity.
Hunter outlined six indicators of authoritarian breakthrough: targeting critics with investigations, enabling lawbreaking, regulatory retaliation, domestic military deployment, federal overreach, and clinging to power. Trump, he argued, follows this playbook, pardoning Jan. 6 felons and plotting unconstitutional actions.
Strategies for Resistance
Drawing from global examples, Hunter emphasized that this authoritarian playbook is not unique to Trump, and successful resistance has been achieved elsewhere. A study of 35 countries showed that without mass civil resistance, only a small percentage could reverse democratic decline. However, organized resistance, like the No Kings Movement, significantly raises those chances.
Maria Stephan of the Horizons Project highlighted the importance of unified, diverse resistance efforts. She referenced successful historical movements, including the civil rights struggles in the U.S. and resistance against Pinochet in Chile, emphasizing the need for mass defiance to challenge authoritarianism.
The Power of Popular Resistance
Stephan identified the “Achilles heel” of authoritarian regimes: their reliance on public compliance. Pro-democracy activists must build solidarity and empower citizens to resist the democratic decline. This involves activating various societal pillars, including labor, education, and civil services, to counter systemic co-optation by authoritarian forces.
Everyday people can contribute through protest, building supportive local infrastructure, and engaging in non-cooperation tactics. She cited successful resistance, like the campaign by Naval Academy alumni preserving diversity in education, as examples of everyday actions making a significant impact.
Inspiring participants to take action, the webinar encouraged attendees to organize local gatherings, resulting in over 5,000 pledges to host community events. Activist Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson concluded with a rallying cry, urging new activists not to be intimidated by the complexity of the struggle, emphasizing that democracy is within reach for those willing to fight for it.
