In the article, historian Timothy Snyder assesses Donald Trump's alignment with fascist ideologies and his shortcomings in achieving a fascist transformation of the United States. Snyder argues that Trump’s rhetoric during his State of the Union address was loaded with fascist themes but ultimately reflected a desperate communicator rather than a genuine leader capable of inciting a movement. Despite Trump's enthusiasm for fascism, Snyder suggests that he lacks the capability to initiate a successful, violence-backed war that such an ideology would demand.

Snyder emphasizes that fascism requires a constructed enemy and visible victims to thrive, drawing on Trump's labeling of Democrats as 'crazy' and attempting to link them with illegal immigration and crime. This narrative, according to Snyder, feeds into a larger project of societal purification in the United States. He warns that Trump’s approach to governance, which trivializes truths and promotes grandiose narratives, is symptomatic of a deeper malaise threatening democratic values and civil liberties in the U.S.

The author concludes by highlighting the dangerous implications of Trump’s presidential rhetoric, as it not only risks normalizing authoritarianism but also paves the way for radical actions based on fabricated fears of enemies. Snyder’s critique serves as a sobering reminder of how easily democratic norms can be undermined in the face of populist agitation, raising alarms about the state of democracy in America.