Since 2019, I have warned that Donald Trump poses a serious threat to America’s democracy. In 2021, I expanded on these concerns in my essay, President Joseph Biden, the Last Democratic President!?
I am now convinced that without a monumental shift in America’s political landscape, our 2.5-century experiment in representative democracy is coming to an end. In its place, we see our political devolution into either a Nazi variation of fascism or authoritarian regime modeled on Putin’s Russia.
Recently, I became aware of “The Imminent Neoreactionary Threat to the American Republic,” a 33 page document outlining the MAGA strategy to dismantle America’s democracy. Given Trump’s recent censure of the words that can be used by officials of the Federal government, I believe it is likely he will soon attempt to censure this document as well, so here is another link to the document.
If you remain unconvinced that America’s Constitutional democracy is gravely threatened by the actions of Elon Musk and Donald Trump, I urge you to read only the bold text in the 33 page document.
Since most people will not read the full 33-page document, I have asked ChatGPT to generate a concise, two-page bullet point summary:
ChatGPT Summary of “The Imminent Neoreactionary Threat to the American Republic“
Overview
- A bipartisan network of experts warns of a greater-than-recognized threat to the U.S. Constitutional order.
- Elon Musk and Silicon Valley elites, including Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen, and Curtis Yarvin, are associated with the Neoreactionary movement.
- The Neoreactionary movement aims to dismantle the U.S. nation-state and establish a corporate dictatorship where citizens are state-owned subjects.
- Musk’s strategy involves seizing control of government data, information, and communication systems.
Strategic Considerations
1. Build a Broad Coalition
- Effective democratic reversals (e.g., India 1977, Brazil 2022, Poland 2023) relied on cross-ideological cooperation.
- Despite deep political divides, blocking Musk’s control over government systems is a shared goal.
2. Avoid Targeting Trump
- Resistance must unite pro-Trump and anti-Trump factions.
- Musk is less popular than Trump, making him a more effective target for opposition.
3. Focus on the U.S. Constitution
- Set aside ideological policy disputes to defend democratic governance.
Key Threats
1. National Security Risks
- Musk’s foreign ties (China, Russia) make him a security risk.
- Musk’s control over U.S. data systems allows for potential abuses, leaks, or foreign influence.
- The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under Musk’s control, is centralizing access to sensitive data.
2. Constitutional Breakdown
- Musk’s team has bypassed traditional checks and balances.
- Government infrastructure (Treasury, OPM, USAID) is being seized digitally, rather than through military force.
- Data access could be weaponized for political coercion or blackmail.
- The legislative and judicial branches are being sidelined, mirroring Curtis Yarvin’s vision of a CEO-monarch governance model.
3. Treasury Takeover
- On Jan. 31, Musk’s team gained access to the Treasury Department’s payments system.
- DOGE employees can alter payment records, freeze funds, and manipulate financial transactions.
- The potential for misuse includes economic destabilization, political targeting, and foreign interference.
- Congress’s control over financial appropriations is being bypassed.
4. USAID & Domestic Budget Freezes
- Musk’s administration froze all foreign and domestic grants, violating the Impoundment Control Act.
- USAID was effectively shut down, impacting global U.S. foreign aid efforts.
- Congress’s role in budgeting is being overridden, a direct challenge to Constitutional authority.
5. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)
- Established via executive order on Jan. 20, 2025.
- Originally an advisory body, DOGE has been integrated into federal agencies with unchecked authority.
- DOGE teams have taken control of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Treasury, and other key institutions.
- DOGE’s records may not be subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) oversight.
- Musk retains control of private companies that have federal contracts, raising serious conflicts of interest.
6. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Takeover
- OPM oversees federal employment policy and records.
- Musk-aligned appointees are centralizing personnel decisions and access to sensitive government employee data.
- The “Fork in the Road” email campaign pressured civil servants into resigning.
- Security clearances and personnel records are now in the hands of unvetted Musk allies.
Neoreactionary Playbook in Action
The Neoreactionary agenda follows a strategy outlined by Curtis Yarvin, which includes:
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- Purging the bureaucracy (“Retire All Government Employees” or RAGE).
- Ignoring the courts and governing by executive decree.
- Co-opting Congress into a ceremonial role.
- Centralizing law enforcement under a federalized national police.
- Attacking “The Cathedral” (media, universities, government agencies).
- Using cryptocurrency to bypass Congressional financial oversight.
- Mobilizing street protests against government agencies.
Urgent Recommendations
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- Form a cross-party coalition focused on Constitutional protection.
- Use Congressional and institutional levers to slow Musk’s power grab.
- Seek emergency court injunctions to halt Musk’s access to government data and financial systems.
- Prepare for noncompliance with court rulings by Musk’s administration.
- Mobilize civil society and legal support to defend government integrity.
- Investigate foreign ties and security risks linked to Musk and the Neoreactionary movement.
This document warns of an imminent, organized, and rapidly progressing attempt to undermine U.S. democracy through digital control of government infrastructure rather than traditional military force. It urges immediate legal, political, and public action to prevent further consolidation of power.
I urge all Americans to take a very public stand and make their voices heard—again and again and again. Only the voice of the people, repeatedly demanding the preservation of our American democracy, will halt our slide into fascism.
Once democracy is lost, it may not return for decades—if ever.
Hayward Zwerling
9 March 2025
My essays regarding America’s political crisis:
2024
Letter to My Political Representatives: Help, Democracy is Slipping Away!
2023
Handcuff Our Rogue Supreme Court
The Republican Party’s Path to Power is Predicated on Political Paralysis, Societal Mayhem and Worse
United We Fail, Divided We/They Succeed, A Data Driven Solution
Political Thinkers Who are Concerned That Fascism is Coming to America
Fascism is Coming to the U.S.A.
The Negation of Expertise Precedes the Rise of Fascism
Our Illegitimate, Illogical, and UnAmerican Supreme Court
2021
President Joseph Biden, the Last Democratic President!?
A Political Thought Experiment: Democracy’s Survival Is Predicated on the Judicial Conviction and Imprisonment of Donald Trump
2020
America Needs The Presidential Propaganda Prohibition Act
Erase His Name From Our Consciousness: Substitute “#HeWhoMustNotBeNamed” for “@realDonaldTrump” and “Donald Trump”
8,300 House of Representatives Will Help Fix America’s Democracy
Lock Him Up or Not
Political Purity at The Ballot Box Will Be Counterproductive and is Immoral
The Democrat Party Needs a Competent Propaganda Machine, Like the Republican’s
Democracy Requires We Nail Down the Roving Political Goalposts
2019
Democracy in America was Fantastic!!
Red-line Supreme Court Rulings and the Future of the Supreme Court
It’s No Longer Your Father’s Republican Party (or There Are No Honorable Republican Senators)