Trump Takes a Page from Authoritarian Playbooks to Intimidate Critics, Says Democrat Senator
A growing number of Democrats have come under fire from President Trump for criticizing his policies, sparking concerns about a coordinated effort to silence critics and intimidate potential dissenters. At the forefront of this backlash is Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan senator who has been at odds with the president over issues like military service members refusing orders that violate the law or constitution.
Slotkin's experience as a former CIA analyst has given her a unique perspective on authoritarian regimes and their tactics to stifle free speech. She says Trump's administration is employing similar strategies to chill dissenting voices, including physical intimidation and legal intimidation.
"They're now using a well-worn playbook that employs physical intimidation and legal intimidation to get you to shut up," Slotkin explained in an interview with The Guardian. "It's absolutely a strategy well used in other countries and other authoritarian governments."
Slotkin herself has faced scrutiny from Trump after releasing a video with fellow Democrats urging military service members to refuse orders they deem unlawful. In response, the president branded the message "treasonous" and encouraged social media posts suggesting those who took part be hanged.
The Democratic senator also highlighted the need for bold action on housing affordability, citing a shortage of 4 million homes as a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. Her proposed emergency measure would freeze laws and regulations that hinder housing development, reward communities that support growth with federal dollars, and utilize the Defense Production Act to direct domestic industries to produce essential materials.
Slotkin's efforts have been met with skepticism from Trump, who has failed to take meaningful action on issues like housing affordability despite running on a platform of lowering costs for Americans. The senator argues that this inaction is symptomatic of a broader pattern of Trump prioritizing foreign policy over domestic issues.
"As someone who worked alongside our Nato partners my entire career, I'm embarrassed to take people's phone calls," Slotkin said. "It is beyond the pale that we have the United States of America talking about using military action in a fellow Nato country."
Slotkin's stance on Trump and his policies has made her an outlier within her own party. While some Democrats have criticized her for being too aggressive, others see her as a voice of reason who is pushing the conversation towards more pressing issues.
In a bid to reconnect with voters, Slotkin plans to deliver a speech next month highlighting the importance of democracy in everyday life. She believes that the media narrative around Trump has become muddled and that Democrats must take responsibility for defending their core values.
"The fundamental division and differences we have, even in my own caucus here in the Senate, is between people who believe that Trump is an existential threat to democracy and people who believe that Trump is bad but we just need to wait him out," Slotkin said. "I'm in the first camp, and those are folks who are really starting to get some of the alpha energy back."
A growing number of Democrats have come under fire from President Trump for criticizing his policies, sparking concerns about a coordinated effort to silence critics and intimidate potential dissenters. At the forefront of this backlash is Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan senator who has been at odds with the president over issues like military service members refusing orders that violate the law or constitution.
Slotkin's experience as a former CIA analyst has given her a unique perspective on authoritarian regimes and their tactics to stifle free speech. She says Trump's administration is employing similar strategies to chill dissenting voices, including physical intimidation and legal intimidation.
"They're now using a well-worn playbook that employs physical intimidation and legal intimidation to get you to shut up," Slotkin explained in an interview with The Guardian. "It's absolutely a strategy well used in other countries and other authoritarian governments."
Slotkin herself has faced scrutiny from Trump after releasing a video with fellow Democrats urging military service members to refuse orders they deem unlawful. In response, the president branded the message "treasonous" and encouraged social media posts suggesting those who took part be hanged.
The Democratic senator also highlighted the need for bold action on housing affordability, citing a shortage of 4 million homes as a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. Her proposed emergency measure would freeze laws and regulations that hinder housing development, reward communities that support growth with federal dollars, and utilize the Defense Production Act to direct domestic industries to produce essential materials.
Slotkin's efforts have been met with skepticism from Trump, who has failed to take meaningful action on issues like housing affordability despite running on a platform of lowering costs for Americans. The senator argues that this inaction is symptomatic of a broader pattern of Trump prioritizing foreign policy over domestic issues.
"As someone who worked alongside our Nato partners my entire career, I'm embarrassed to take people's phone calls," Slotkin said. "It is beyond the pale that we have the United States of America talking about using military action in a fellow Nato country."
Slotkin's stance on Trump and his policies has made her an outlier within her own party. While some Democrats have criticized her for being too aggressive, others see her as a voice of reason who is pushing the conversation towards more pressing issues.
In a bid to reconnect with voters, Slotkin plans to deliver a speech next month highlighting the importance of democracy in everyday life. She believes that the media narrative around Trump has become muddled and that Democrats must take responsibility for defending their core values.
"The fundamental division and differences we have, even in my own caucus here in the Senate, is between people who believe that Trump is an existential threat to democracy and people who believe that Trump is bad but we just need to wait him out," Slotkin said. "I'm in the first camp, and those are folks who are really starting to get some of the alpha energy back."
. It's easy to get caught up in shouting and intimidation, but true leaders know how to use their voice effectively. Elissa Slotkin is taking a stand for what she believes in, even if it means being an outlier within her party 
. This shows us that sometimes you gotta be willing to take the heat just to bring about change 
. We should all take a page from Slotkin's book and use our voices to push for real action on issues that matter 
.
about criticizing him? Like, come on, dude, you can't intimidate critics into silence, that's just basic civics 101. And now he's using physical and legal intimidation tactics? That's some real authoritarian playbook stuff 
. I'm not surprised though, Trump's always been a master of playing the victim when it suits him.
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... he's using those authoritarian tactics to silence ppl who disagree with him. it's like he's trying to intimidate critics into not speaking up. i feel bad for elissa slotkin, she's been going head-on against him and now she's getting flak from his team. 4 million homes missing is a huge issue tho 
- we need bold action on housing affordability! slotkin's right that trump's prioritizing foreign policy over domestic issues... it's time for democrats to take responsibility for defending their values 
I mean, this is a big deal right? So Elissa Slotkin's saying that Trump's team is using tactics from authoritarian regimes to silence critics? Like, okay, that sounds legit. But where's the proof? Where are the sources for all these claims about physical intimidation and legal intimidation? It feels like some pretty serious allegations without any concrete evidence.
But let's keep a level head and demand some actual proof before we start making accusations against Trump. 
meanwhile slotkin is over here like a total boss 
it's so refreshing to see a dem senator who isn't afraid to take on trump and the rest of the republicans 
. It's like they're playing a game of "authoritarian intimidation" and it's not even subtle 
.
. Like, who does he think he is? The guy's not even hiding the fact that he's trying to silence his opponents; he's just being super obvious about it 
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. And that's something we need to be really concerned about 
, but I think she's right to call out Trump for what he's doing 
. We need more voices like hers in the party who are willing to challenge the status quo and push for real change 
I mean, she knows all about authoritarian regimes and their tactics; it's just sad that our own president is trying to emulate them 
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. As a former CIA analyst, Elissa Slotkin knows her stuff and is calling out Trump's authoritarian playbook 
. And let's be real, the housing affordability crisis is a major issue 
. We need bold action now, not just empty rhetoric from politicians who can't seem to get anything done 
. Slotkin's willingness to take on Trump and stand up for democracy is inspiring 
It's like, he thinks being president gives him a free pass to be as aggressive and divisive as he wants? Newsflash, Trump: just because you're the prez doesn't mean you can treat people like dirt. It's actually kinda laughable that he's trying to bully Elissa Slotkin over her views on military service members refusing orders – it's like he thinks she's some kind of security risk or something 
.
. Elissa Slotkin's got a point - he's using physical and legal intimidation to silence critics, which is really not cool 
. She needs to keep pushing this conversation about housing affordability and democracy - we need more people like her who are willing to speak truth to power 
.
newsflash: physical & legal intimidation ain't gonna solve any problems, just more drama