10. Resurgence of Old Ideologies
Revival of Past Oppressive Practices
History repeats itself, and fascist regimes love to dig up ideas we thought were dead and buried. Discriminatory policies. Old-fashioned bigotry. It feels like a nasty case of déjà vu.
Examples of old ideas coming back right now include abortion rights being stripped away, attacks on universities and law firms, threats to end same-sex marriage, anti-DEI policies, gutting civil rights offices in federal agencies, the use of the Alien Enemies Act, and Republican lawmakers trying to loosen child labor laws. The list goes on.
In 2026, three more ugly ones came roaring back:
1. "Remigration." This is a white nationalist idea from Europe. It means forcing immigrants, and sometimes their children and grandchildren, out of a country based on race or culture.
The official DHS account on X posted "Remigration now." Trump called for "reverse migration." The State Department has floated an "Office of Remigration."
TIME reported on how DHS embraced the word despite its ties to white nationalism. DHS and the White House also used a song popular with white nationalists in ICE recruiting posts.
2. McCarthyism. In July, the State Department hosted a summit on "far-left terrorism." Then it released a 100-page report on Cuban "influence" in America that named more than 40 people and groups, including New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry's, the Democratic Socialists of America, and the Amazon Labor Union.
Journalist Ken Klippenstein called it a government blacklist. It's the Red Scare with a new coat of paint.
3. Erasing history. Federal officials removed exhibits about the people George Washington enslaved at his former home site in Philadelphia, until a judge ordered them restored.
The Pentagon now calls itself the "Department of War," like it's 1946. We broke down how governments use these tricks to reshape what people believe in our explainer on social engineering.
When a society starts embracing ideas it once condemned, that's one of the clearest signs of fascism. We dig deeper into this in “White Nationalism Is a Threat to Democracy.”
Romanticizing Authoritarian Figures
As if bringing back old practices wasn't enough, some leaders start to admire past dictators. They paint them as "misunderstood" or "strong."
When we romanticize the past, we forget its lessons. That's how history's darkest chapters get a sequel.
A 1990 Vanity Fair profile reported that Trump's first wife, Ivana, told her lawyer he kept a book of Hitler's collected speeches in a cabinet by his bed. (It wasn't Mein Kampf, as people often say.
It was a collection of Hitler's speeches called My New Order. (Somehow that's not better.)
On the campaign trail in late 2023, Trump said immigrants were "poisoning the blood of our country," which echoes Hitler's own writing. He insisted he'd never read Mein Kampf.
And his love for today's strongmen is no secret. Just look at how happy he was to ship men off to El Salvador's mega-prison, run by his pal Nayib Bukele.
Stay Vigilant and Refuse to Let This Become Normal
Two things stand out in this update.
The first is how fast it's moving. In February, I said we'd moved quickly toward authoritarianism. Eight months later, we have a war Congress never approved, a press ban, terrorism charges for protesters, and a president who won't rule out using troops around an election.
The second thing is the one I want you to remember. People are pushing back, and it's working.
- The Supreme Court struck down most of Trump's tariffs.
- The Supreme Court blocked his mail ballot rules for this election.
- A judge Trump appointed made him let CNN, MS NOW, and Politico back into the White House.
- A judge forced his name off the Kennedy Center.
- Court fights helped push his troops out of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Portland.
- The No Kings protests on March 28 were the largest single-day protest in American history.
- A Reuters/Ipsos poll in September put Trump's approval at 32%, the lowest of his political career.
Fascism isn't a done deal. It needs us to give up. So don't.
Here's what you can do right now:
- Vote. The midterms are November 3. Make sure you're registered, find your polling place, and vote early if you can.
- Show up on October 17. The No Kings coalition is holding a nationwide No Kings: Vote Early day of action. Find an event near you at NoKings.org.
- Help get out the vote. Volunteer with Vote Save America to help Democrats in close races.
- Follow the legal fights. Democracy Docket tracks every voting rights case, and Protect Democracy's tracker follows authoritarian moves in real time.
- Get active. Our Activists' Guide walks you through it.
- Test yourself. Take our quiz: Democracy or Dick-tater?
The signs of fascism can start small. A flag here. A scapegoat there. A little propaganda. By learning to spot them, we can stop our democracy from sliding the rest of the way into authoritarianism.
We've spotted all 10. Now let's do something about it.
FAQs
Click a question to view the answer.
What are the major signs of fascism in a democracy?
The major signs include extreme nationalism, scapegoating minorities, censoring the media, a cult of personality around the leader, erosion of civil rights, militarization of society, conspiracy theories, environmental neglect, disregard for international relations, and the return of old, oppressive ideas.
Is the United States a fascist country now?
Experts disagree on the exact label. Some leading scholars say the U.S. has slid into "competitive authoritarianism." That means elections still happen, but the people in power use the government to punish critics and tilt the rules in their favor. NPR explains the term here. Others point out that courts still check the president and people still protest freely. Either way, all 10 warning signs on this list are showing up, and the 2026 midterms are a huge test.
What is competitive authoritarianism?
It's a system where a country still has elections, courts, and a press, but the people in power abuse them. They might go after journalists, use prosecutors against opponents, or change voting rules to help themselves. It's not a full dictatorship, but it's not a healthy democracy either.
How can citizens resist the rise of fascism?
Vote, especially in the midterms on November 3. Join peaceful protests like No Kings. Support independent media. Contact your representatives. Volunteer to help register voters and protect the vote. Talk to your friends and family about what's happening.
Is nationalism always a bad thing?
No. Loving your country and being proud of it is normal. But when nationalism gets extreme, it turns into exclusion, discrimination, and a loyalty test. That's when it becomes dangerous.
What role does the media play in preventing authoritarianism?
The media is a watchdog. Good journalism exposes wrongdoing and keeps the public informed. That's exactly why authoritarian leaders try to silence it.
Why is it important to learn from history?
History shows us the patterns. When we understand how democracies fell apart in the past, we can spot the warning signs sooner and fight back before it's too late.
