The United States Has Crossed the Threshold

For nearly a decade, the United States has teetered on the edge of democratic backsliding, inching toward something far darker. In March 2023, I wrote “One Step Away from Total Fascism,” observing:

“The news from America has been a relentless parade of horrors: mass shootings (as ever), the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Trump administration’s catastrophic pandemic response, brazen corruption, acts of treason, and the January 6 insurrection. One might assume we’d become numb that it couldn’t possibly worsen. Yet it does. And invariably, at the heart of it all stands a fanatical, out-of-touch Republican.”

A follow-up piece expanded on this warning. Both articles catalogued evidence that the U.S. was, as their titles declared, one step from fascism.

Now, two years later, that step has been taken.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem have laid bare the erosion of democratic norms. Her declaration that federal forces would remain in Los Angeles to “liberate” it from “socialist and burdensome leadership” – targeting Gavin Newsom, California’s governor and L.A.’s mayor – reeks of politicised authoritarianism. The word “liberate” is particularly chilling, evoking occupation rather than governance, and suggesting federal overreach into state sovereignty. Such rhetoric aligns with historical fascist tactics: centralising power, suppressing dissent, and dismantling institutional checks.

Reports reveal alarming context: Noem federalised 2,000 National Guard troops and sought to deploy U.S. Marines against protesters, potentially violating the Posse Comitatus Act. Governor Newsom’s lawsuit accusing the administration of an “illegal takeover” of the National Guard underscores the constitutional crisis at hand. Meanwhile, the forcible removal of Senator Alex Padilla during Noem’s press conference and violent crackdowns on journalists signal a broader assault on dissent – a hallmark of authoritarian regimes.

This is not yet full-blown fascism, but the parallels to early-stage authoritarianism are undeniable:

• Demonising opponents as “socialists” (a term weaponised to justify repression).
• Militarised domestic interventions, blurring lines between public safety and suppression.
• Erosion of federalism, with state autonomy trampled under the guise of “law and order.”

Noem’s defenders argue these measures are necessary to quell unrest and secure borders. But when “restoring order” entails occupying cities, silencing critics, and overriding elected officials, the pretext collapses. The real threat is not chaos – it is the normalisation of authoritarianism.

The resilience of American democracy now hinges on whether institutions, the press, and the public resist this slide. History shows how easily emergency measures become permanent tools of control.

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