One side of America or the other is going to win, says Samuel Alito, the conservative US Supreme Court justice. “Don’t get angry, get even,” says his wife, Martha-Ann Alito. By unorthodox means, the couple have become unlikely mascots of US authoritarianism. Some, like the Alitos, want their country restored to godliness. Others want to derail America’s “woke” elite. All put faith in Donald Trump as their cause’s imperfect vessel.
If Trump wins in November, it will not be because there is a groundswell for autocracy. A Trump victory would more likely happen for mundane reasons, such as inflation. But history is forged by the well-organised few. Trump would resume office as an American Caesar with a ready-made toolkit of executive actions. The details are there in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 plan. It contains some libertarian strands. No 920-page document can be fully consistent. But for those with reading stamina, Project 2025 is the War and Peace of authoritarian planning.
A minority of Americans are fully on board with Trump’s will to power. Democracy Fund surveys show that more than a fifth of US voters want a “strong leader who doesn’t have to bother with Congress and elections”. All surveys show that the younger the American, the less likely they are to value democracy. Against expectations, Joe Biden’s support among older Americans has held firm. It is among under-30s, and particularly young men, where Trump is making the largest inroads. These include Black and Hispanic voters.