Three Well Tested Ways to Undermine an Autocrat
3 June 2025
In his recent column and follow up, Nicholas Kristof shares ideas for how to push back against Donald Trump’s authoritarian tendencies. With 1,326 days remaining in Trump’s term, it feels like a long road ahead. There doesn’t appear to be a realistic path to removing him from office (see also here and here). The military stepping in seems equally improbable.
That’s why it’s essential to focus on what each of us can do instead of pointing fingers. As stated in the Talmud, “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it.”
I encourage you to take part in protests and advocacy campaigns, including next week’s No Kings Day on June 14. Here are some ideas for protest signs:
1. Use mockery and humor, especially of a salacious nature.
Humor disarms authoritarians. If they crack down on jokes, they look petty. If they ignore them, they look weak. Either way, they lose. This tactic is proven to work. The TACO meme has visibly rattled Trump and that isn’t even sexual. Try searching for “Trump memes” and pick one that hits the mark for you.
2. Highlight Trump’s corruption, hypocrisy and economic mismanagement.
This is one of the easiest angles to pursue with Trump, as there are new examples nearly every day. The hard part is choosing which one to focus on. Here are a few good starting points:
3. Focus on the power of one - an individual tragedy rather than a sea of oppression.
Instead of referencing broad oppression, hone in on individual tragedies. During the anti-apartheid movement, the phrase “Free South African political prisoners” had little impact. But “Free Nelson Mandela” caught the public’s attention and made a real difference.
Trump’s actions have led to countless personal tragedies. Choose one and use it to humanize the damage he’s caused.
Pledge to do what you can, for as long as he remains in office.
The index to my prior essays (mostly post 5 November 2024) is here.
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