Here we go again. Back in 2017, Donald J. Trump waddled into the White House like it was his own Trump Tower, and within his first 100 days, shit got real. From enabling that infamous travel ban to rolling back Obama-era regulations like a Millennial renovator ruining a Victorian home, Trump’s policies didn’t just shake up Washington—it led to the increased activity of white supremacist groups and a neo-Nazi rise. According to reports, hate groups crawled out from under their rocks, feeding off the fiery rhetoric and nationalist undertones that came with the Trump brand. And now he’s back! In just the first five days of Donald Trump’s second term, we’ve already got an immigration crackdown, dangerous abortion policies, and a whole lot of déjà vu. Extremist groups are eating it up, and political division in America has gotten worse. This shitty sequel is hard to watch.
When Donald J. Trump took office in January 2017, he wasted no time making good on his campaign promises—or at least the ones that involved building walls and banning people. In his first 100 days, he rolled out a flurry of executive orders, including the infamous “Muslim ban” (officially known as Executive Order 13769), which restricted travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries. He also signed orders to deregulate businesses, slash environmental protections, and ramp up immigration enforcement with his “zero-tolerance” approach. And let’s not forget his Supreme Court pick, Neil Gorsuch, who was swiftly confirmed, cementing a conservative majority. Trump’s administration came in hot, and Trump wasn’t interested in playing by the rules.
But while Trump was busy shaking up Washington, something darker was bubbling. White supremacist and neo-Nazi groups saw his election as a rallying cry, emboldened by his hardline rhetoric and nationalist policies. Hate groups, many of which had been lurking on the fringes, suddenly found themselves center stage, with a reported increase in recruitment and activity. The Southern Poverty Law Center noted a sharp rise in hate crimes, and extremist group membership slogans like “America First” took on a whole new—and sinister—meaning. From the Charlottesville “Unite the Right” rally — to a surge in online hate speech, Trump’s first 100 days became a launching pad for groups that were hiding in plain sight, now determined to normalize these philosophies.
In the past five days, President Trump swiftly signed a new batch of executive orders that have significant controversial measures. He reinstated anti-abortion policies, including the Mexico City Policy, which prohibits federal funding for international organizations that perform or promote abortions. He made sure federal funds would not be used for abortions within the United States, and he dismissed approximately 17 independent inspectors general from various federal agencies, raising concerns about potential violations of federal oversight laws and undermining governmental checks and balances. He also deployed troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, reversed diversity policies, ended initiatives combating climate change, and pardoned the stooges involved in the January 6 riots. His actions have sparked legal challenges, political backlash, and widespread debate regarding domestic and international policy implications.
We’re already seeing the Trump administration impact kicked off by this second term, neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups have been partying like it’s 2017 all over again. They’re back in action—organizing rallies, flooding the internet with their usual bullshit, and recruiting harder than Scientologists. Elon Musk, tossed some gas on the fire with his now-infamous “heart goes out to you” gesture at a Trump event. This gesture, reminiscent of the Nazi salute, was widely condemned as a nod to white supremacist groups. Extremist groups ate it up, treating it like a Taylor Swift friendship bracelet. Meanwhile, watchdog groups and law enforcement are scrambling to keep up, issuing all-too-familiar warnings that this surge in activity could lead to more hate crimes in the U.S. and, oh, I don’t know, threats to democracy! Buckle up, kids—we’re in for another wild ride.
Now that we’re knee-deep in déjà vu, we can’t forget the dangerous cocktail that is Trump policies and the emboldened rise of white supremacist groups. It’s not just a minor inconvenience; it’s a full-blown threat to democracy. When hate groups start feeling comfy enough to crawl out from their internet holes and into the streets, you know we’ve got a problem. The more policies that marginalize communities and fan the flames of division, the closer we inch toward a society where fear and ignorance take the wheel. These policies not only threaten the fabric of our democracy but also undermine the principles of social justice, creating a society where the rights and dignity of all individuals are at risk. (When they come for you in the night. They will come for me in the morning) And let’s be real—democracy doesn’t exactly thrive when guys in tiki torches and Cybertruck bros think they’re running the show. If we don’t take this seriously, we might just wake up in a country that looks less like the land of the free and more like the a chapter in a dystopian YA Novel.
The image in this post is A.I. generated and A.I. was used in the research and compiling of this article.