The Existentialist Republic

The Existentialist Republic

Aug. 13, 2025

Is it hyperbole to say America is now fascist?

Fascism has 14 characteristics, let's see how the U.S. stacks up.


Lawrence Britt studied Hitler’s Germany, Mussolini’s Italy, Franco’s Spain, Suharto’s Indonesia, and Pinochet’s Chile. He found 14 common characteristics. Here’s how America in 2025 checks every single box.


1. POWERFUL AND CONTINUING NATIONALISM

✓ “Make America Great Again” — Required in federal job essays
✓ Loyalty oaths mandating workers write about “advancing Trump’s agenda”
✓ $46.5 billion allocated for border wall as national symbol
✓ Federal workers must pass “MAGA bona fides” social media checks


2. DISDAIN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

✓ ICE agents in disguises arresting people WITHOUT warrants
✓ U.S. citizens detained: 19-year-old held 10 days, disabled veteran 3 days
✓ Two American children deported to Honduras
✓ Justice Dept authorized warrantless home invasions for “alien enemies”
✓ “ICE is kidnapping people off the streets with no due process” — Rep. Jayapal


3. IDENTIFICATION OF ENEMIES/SCAPEGOATS

✓ “Alien enemy” = any Venezuelan 14+ with tattoos
✓ Mass deportations: 150,000 in 6 months, 800+ daily
✓ 66,463 arrests in first 100 days
✓ Trump threatened to arrest mayoral candidate for being “communist”
✓ 94% of Massachusetts ICE arrests from communities, 78% no criminal record


4. SUPREMACY OF THE MILITARY

✓ 4,700 troops deployed to Los Angeles without Insurrection Act
✓ 800 DC National Guard took over Metropolitan Police
✓ Marines documented first civilian detention June 13, 2025
✓ Military used to protect ICE operations during protests
✓ $134 million spent on 60-day LA deployment


5. RAMPANT SEXISM

✓ Eliminated bureaus focused on women’s issues
✓ Admiral Linda Fagan fired as first woman Coast Guard chief for “excessive DEI focus”
✓ Admiral Lisa Franchetti fired as first woman Chief of Naval Operations
✓ Blocked Medicaid funding for transgender care
✓ Multiple female officials targeted in political prosecutions


6. CONTROLLED MASS MEDIA

✓ Journalists’ protections rescinded April 25, 2025
✓ 51 intelligence officials’ security clearances revoked for contradicting Trump
✓ Dr. Fauci’s Secret Service protection removed
✓ White House screening social media for “MAGA bona fides”
✓ “No MAGA left behind” — Official pardon policy


7. OBSESSION WITH NATIONAL SECURITY

✓ National emergency declared at border Day 1
✓ ICE budget increased to $75+ billion (265% increase)
✓ ICE becoming largest federal law enforcement agency in history
✓ 100,000 applications for ICE in 2 weeks with $50,000 bonuses
✓ FBI deployed to hunt down state legislators who fled Texas


8. RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT INTERTWINED

✓ 23 anti-abortion activists pardoned under FACE Act
✓ Churches no longer “sensitive locations” — ICE can raid
✓ Federal courts found raids violate Religious Freedom Restoration Act
✓ Religious test questions in federal hiring
✓ Planned Parenthood blocked from Medicaid


9. CORPORATE POWER PROTECTED

✓ Trump tax cuts made permanent — $3.4 trillion deficit increase
✓ Eliminated taxes on tips, overtime, Social Security for wealthy
✓ $1.3 billion in fines wiped out for January 6 defendants
✓ Ross Ulbricht (Silk Road) pardoned
✓ Rod Blagojevich and Trump donors pardoned


10. LABOR POWER SUPPRESSED

✓ Collective bargaining ended for 1+ million federal workers
✓ 200,000 federal employees stripped of civil service protections
✓ 24,583 immediate terminations before courts intervened
✓ USAID reduced from 10,000 to 300 employees
✓ 75,000 accepted buyouts rather than face termination


11. DISDAIN FOR INTELLECTUALS AND THE ARTS

✓ CDC lost 1,300 employees, HHS terminated 5,200
✓ Nuclear security staff at Energy Department fired
✓ Climate change bureaus eliminated at State Department
✓ 17+ Inspectors General fired for investigating Trump allies
✓ Scientists and experts purged across agencies


12. OBSESSION WITH CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

✓ 1,600 January 6 defendants pardoned including 300+ who assaulted police
✓ Laken Riley Act: Mandatory detention without bond for theft charges
✓ “Weaponization Working Group” targeting 100+ political opponents
✓ Grand jury investigations of Letitia James and Adam Schiff
✓ Milwaukee judge arrested for questioning ICE authority


13. RAMPANT CRONYISM AND CORRUPTION

✓ Ed Martin: Pardon Attorney who pardoned his own January 6 clients
✓ Schedule F positions filled based on “MAGA bona fides”
✓ Kash Patel approved FBI deployment against Democrats
✓ Law firms representing Trump opponents had contracts terminated
✓ 30+ prosecutors fired explicitly for working January 6 cases


14. FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS

✓ Trump threatened to arrest mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani
✓ FBI deployed to hunt Texas Democrats preventing redistricting vote
✓ Redistricting would gain Republicans 3–5 congressional seats
✓ “Well then, we’ll have to arrest him” — Trump on opposing candidate
✓ Federal takeover of DC Metropolitan Police during elections


THE VERDICT

Federal judges are calling it:

  • “Shocking abuse of power” — Judge Loren AliKhan

  • “Violates Fourth and Fifth Amendments” — Judge Frimpong

  • “Systematic use of deceptive tactics” — Kidd v. Noem settlement

This isn’t hyperbole. This isn’t alarmist.

Secret police in disguises. Mass warrantless arrests. Citizens disappeared. Political opponents prosecuted. Loyalty oaths. Military in the streets. The largest internal security force in history.

Lawrence Britt studied Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Franco’s Spain, Pinochet’s Chile. He identified these 14 characteristics in 2003 — long before Trump.

America 2025 checks every single box.

If this isn’t fascism, what is?


If you found this article informative, check out my book:

Conservatism: America's Personality Disorder


Originally published on Substack →
Subscribe by email →