"Even Trump’s supporters do not want an alliance with Russia over Europe."

Ms. Enzerink, what goes through your mind when you see the USA changing under Donald Trump?

I am not surprised by Trump's measures but by how fast things are devolving. I teach a class called "Narratives of American Decline," and the evidence is piling up. The idea of the U.S. as a global leader is under pressure, even among those who once legitimized it. Trump’s fascination with strongmen is impacting both domestic and international politics. At home, he employs dictatorial tactics—freeing January 6 convicts, appointing only loyalists, and threatening critics. Internationally, he uses economic scare tactics and aligns with authoritarian regimes, breaking with the U.S.’s democratic legacy.

I also worry about friends, colleagues, and former students in the U.S., especially those from targeted groups, be they undocumented or simply working on issues pertaining to structural inequalities or race. Trump’s executive orders even force the National Science Foundation to reevaluate support for projects using words like “inequities” or “gender.” While European media predominantly focus on Trump’s geopolitical moves—from economic sanctions to meddling in foreign elections—and meme-worthy antics, real lives are at stake.

Which of Mr. Trump's latest measures has shocked you the most and why?

More than any specific measure, I am alarmed by Trump's disregard for the law and the Constitution, raising the specter of autocracy. He recently posted, "He who saves his country does not violate any law," implying laws are secondary to his actions. He also shared AI-generated images of himself as a monarch and floated the idea of a third term. His former advisor Steve Bannon suggested "working the Constitution" to make it happen. The idolization of Trump is disturbing—in telling examples, a few Republicans have proposed making his birthday a national holiday and adding his likeness to Mount Rushmore. Though these won’t pass, they reflect blind loyalty and Trump's susceptibility to flattery.

Trump’s actions contradict the U.S.’s founding principles—democracy, equality, and the rejection of tyranny. Of course, equality was always an illusion in the U.S. from its founding on, but Trump’s explicit rejection of these ideals is unprecedented. The January 6 insurrection already showed his disregard for the Constitution’s peaceful transfer of power.

Can Trump count on conservative base support even in his rapprochement with Russia?

This is one issue where he is out of step with most Americans, including his base. The Brookings Institute found that most Americans see Russia as an enemy, and only 9% of Republicans call it friendly. However, 75% of Republicans want to end the war in Ukraine, even if it means letting Russia keep captured land. So, while embracing Putin is unpopular, Trump's treatment of Zelensky aligns with his base’s views. It is a very slippery slope, and Trump’s well-documented soft spot for autocrats and dictators from Putin to Kim Jung-Un to Jair Bolsonaro, and his intensifying flirting with the global far right such as Germany’s AfD, show that he is by no means done in trying to reshape the global playing field, even if this means allying himself transactionally with countries that betray all values the U.S. claims to stand for.

Notably, after the Zelensky debacle, Republicans who defended Trump avoided mentioning Russia or Putin, instead framing it as Zelensky lacking gratitude or the U.S. overspending on foreign wars. Only moderate Republican Lisa Murkowski explicitly called it a concession to Putin, while Democrats unanimously labeled it as such. The attempts to uncouple Trump’s behavior towards Zelensky from his admiration for Putin by Republicans suggests that his fellow party members know that even Trump’s supporters do not want an alliance with Russia over Europe.

How strong is the conservative base’s support for Trump’s anti-democratic measures?

Trump won decisively, the first Republican to win the popular vote in two decades and took all seven swing states. His agenda was clear, and a significant portion of Americans support his stance on issues pertaining to race, gender, migration, and foreign policy. Some voters may have prioritized the economy, but they were aware of his extremist positions. The Democratic Party’s failure to connect with voters also played a role, but ultimately Trump drew voters in with his platform. This is important to remember, that his rise to power was entirely democratic. People knew what they were in for, and they so far seem to be pretty happy with his performance. His approval rating has dropped slightly, but mainly due to economic concerns, not his rhetoric.

It seems so far, that is little civil resistance to Trump’s policies even from progressive parts of the population. Why?

There is resistance, though not at the national scale seen in 2016 in for example the Women’s March. Protests have been more targeted, like Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s plea at the inauguration or the February 28 economic boycott against US-oligarch-owned businesses. People are working from the ground up on issues they care about. But Trump’s flood of executive orders—76 in 100 days—creates a “shock and awe” effect, making mobilization difficult. Advocacy groups are fighting legally, but the conservative Supreme Court makes success less likely.
Disillusionment also plays a role. In 2016, people believed resistance could lead to change. Since then, the right for abortion has been overturned by the Supreme Court, criminal justice reform has stalled despite the efforts of both lawmakers and social justice movements like Black Lives Matter, and a majority of voters re-elected Trump despite his divisive rhetoric. The Democratic Party has failed to offer a compelling alternative, pushing even further to the center. I think a lot of people are also becoming disillusioned with the two-party system, as there is no room at current for those who wish to see a progressive alternative to the political establishment.

Fear is another factor. I said earlier, we also have to remember that these are real people, who are scared for their jobs and sometimes even their personal safety. Right-wing attempts to "cancel" people for opposing Trump have made some afraid to speak out. Liberal donors and business owners are not pumping money into social justice organizations like they did in 2016. However, many Americans remain active in less visible ways, and relative silence should not be mistaken for consent. Many are calculating whether they can afford to be vocal right now, especially those whose lives or livelihoods are directly threatened by Trump’s campaign of division.