Trump’s 2025: A Blueprint for Democratic Erosion?

Blue Press Journal’s Year End Review of the Trump Administration

As the 2025 calendar years in, Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office has reignited concerns over the fragility of American democracy. While the former president’s tenure was marked by unprecedented attacks on norms and institutions, his recent return his actions in 2025 suggest a patterned effort to consolidate power and weaken democratic checks. Here are five troubling examples of how Trump’s administration has allegedly advanced policies and rhetoric that threaten foundational democratic principles. 

1. Exploiting Federal Agencies to Criminalize Dissent
In 2025, the Department of Justice has reportedly prioritized prosecuting journalists and activists critical of the administration under vague “domestic terrorism” definitions. Trump’s Justice Department, led by allies, has allegedly revisited FISA warrants and surveillance practices to target political opponents, echoing his 2016 campaign’s baseless claims of “witch hunts.” Such actions blur the line between legitimate dissent and criminality, chilling free speech. 

2. Weaponizing Foreign Policy for Personal Gain
Trump’s 2025 State Department has been criticized for sidelining career diplomats in favor of wealthy donors and henchmen, reportedly brokering deals with foreign leaders to exchange favors for financial rewards.  A $1.5 billion real estate project in Vietnam involving the Trump Organization was approved shortly before trade negotiations began between the U.S. and Vietnam.

3. Suppressing Mail-In Voting to Rig Elections
2025 has seen renewed efforts to undermine public trust in voting infrastructure. Trump’s Justice Department has sued to limit mail-in ballot access in key states, citing unproven fraud claims, while his allies in Congress have pushed to penalize counties with high voter turnout. This echoes his 2020 claims of election fraud and undermines faith in electoral fairness. 

4. Co-opting the Military for Political Power
Trump’s 2025 National Security Council reportedly instructed the Pentagon to prepare for “rapid deployment” of troops to polling stations during elections, raising alarms about militarizing domestic affairs. Military leaders have privately warned that such moves risk normalizing the use of force to legitimize politically motivated outcomes—a direct threat to civilian control of the armed forces. 

5. Stifling Dissent in Federal Employment
In 2025, the Trump administration has allegedly pressured federal agencies to purge employees who publicly disagree with White House policies. For example, the EPA reportedly retaliated against scientists who opposed rolling back climate regulations, while the IRS has been accused of targeting “liberal” charities. This reflects a broader pattern of treating federal jobs as political spoils, eroding merit-based governance. 

A Democracy in Peril
Trump’s 2025 actions reveal a consistent strategy of weakening democratic institutions—courts, media, elections, and civil service—to entrench his power. As history shows, democratic norms can erode quickly under determined autocrats. The onus on citizens, media, and institutions to hold power accountable has never been clearer. Without vigilance, the U.S. risks becoming a “republic in name only.”