Thirteen Things You Can Do to Fight the Trump-Musk Coup
Our "Federal Correspondent" explains how to cope with the cabal.
(Read Parts 1, 2 and 3 of Constitutional Crisis Cabal here, here and here.)
A little more than a month into the second Trump administration, the damage to our government and our democracy is coming fast and furious. Ultimately everyone will have a role in what unfolds. Here are some actions people can pursue that make a difference.
1. Keep learning, help others see what’s happening and why it matters. Use your voice and your resources. Many people are busy with their everyday lives and aren’t aware of the constitutional crisis, which makes it critical to talk to family and friends and spread the word on social media. Also, understanding history -- such as why the United States replaced the spoils system with a nonpartisan civil service, or why the founders designed a Constitution with checks and balances -- is essential for explaining why the way Trump and Musk are acting is illegal and unconstitutional.
2. Support media that matters. Legacy news corporations are struggling to adapt to changes in the industry. While some major media outlets have done well, local and independent media often cover what the big guys miss. Reward media you respect and rely on with financial support. Indie platforms like The Crash Report depend on readers’ contributions to survive and grow.
3. Submit letters-to-the-editor and newspaper columns. It’s great to pen letters that focus on the big picture, but people should also write about what affects them and their beloveds. It’s powerful to read a parent’s letter about their daughter with leukemia being harmed by the National Institutes of Health stopping her clinical trial. Equally persuasive would be a missive from the parents of a boy with disabilities on how destroying the federal Department of Education would defund special education and harm their son.
4. Apply pressure through protests. People acting together in public matters. Protests influence media coverage, public opinion and politicians, particularly when rallies are creative and dramatic.
5. Research and publicize specific harms. As political scientist Theda Skocpol explains, during Trump’s first term, persistent actions by grassroots groups were critical for saving the Affordable Care Act because they spelled “out the dire consequences for patients and hospitals and health clinics in their communities and states, speaking in plain English to neighbors, friends and co-workers.” We need to take similar actions now.
5. Take an inventory of your sphere of influence and ask for help. Cancer patients and survivors, for example, can contact cancer groups and tell them to stand up for medical research. If you’re aware of an organization implementing illegal, unconstitutional executive orders, encourage them to not comply. Support coalitions. These strategies make you a force multiplier.
6. Pressure congresspeople and senators. Call, write emails and visit their offices to urge them to speak out and act. Show up at their speeches so you can politely and persistently ask hard questions. Film their response and share the interaction on the socials. There’s no need to wait for election year to publicize harmful actions of federal, state and local office holders. Now is the time to point out who is complicit with the Constitutional Crisis Cabal.
7. Don’t forget about local politicians. When state laws contradict what Trump and Musk are trying to do (on LGBTQ+ rights, immigration, anti-discrimination laws and more), communicating with your governor and attorney general can be very effective. Same with state legislators, municipal officials and your local school board.
8. Highlight the weaknesses of Trump, Musk and their allies. Musk and his minions are unqualified and dishonest. They purposely lied about Social Security and falsely claimed tens of millions of dead people get checks. Either that or these tech whizzes didn’t understand COBOL programming or how funeral home directors inform the Social Security Administration about deaths, stopping SS payments immediately. Musk’s crew’s numbers just don’t add up. They’re firing people critical to public safety and public health. Like with other authoritarians, nonpartisan experts are replaced with loyalist hacks who use lies to manipulate the public. Call out blunders and misinformation on your socials and around the dinner table.
9. Protect voting rights. Voting rights were hard-earned and need ongoing action to protect them. Congress may soon vote on the SAVE Act, disenfranchising tens of millions because voters would need to provide a passport (something only half of Americans have) or a birth certificate with a name matching one’s current photo ID (something most married women don’t have). Mainers next fall will cast ballots on a voter suppression measure making it more difficult to vote absentee, to use drop boxes and will require voters to show photo ID. Mainers will need to understand how much this hurts seniors’ and others’ access to vote.
10. Work on elections. Every vote matters. Campaigns all over the country are looking for workers. It’s not too early to think about who should run (maybe you?) for office. Even more importantly you can register voters and help people fix problems with their ballots.
11. Connect with nature: When the weather warms up, I’ll be out on a beautiful lake kayaking, watching turtles sun themselves on a rock and pondering the reflections of clouds and the ripples generated by my paddle and the wind. Finding your own peace, outdoors – away from electronics and screens – both recharges and emboldens.
12. Take care and stay strong. A long, hard fight lies ahead, but it’s winnable. That’s why it’s essential to feed one’s body and one’s soul with regular exercise. I love pounding a boxing bag, ever improving my right cross and left hook as I focus on power and form.
13. Avoid isolation. Human creatures need community, whether it be sports, games, worship, politics, music or whatever else feels good. Sharing a great meal, for instance, with family and friends fills more than one’s stomach. Support loved ones and strangers when they need help.
Reminder: No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. I take inspiration from a quote from a Jewish text, the Pirkei Avot: “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”
Amy Fried spent many years as a political scientist at the University of Maine, teaching and mentoring, earning multiple awards and her current title of Professor Emerita, and publishing research in numerous academic books and articles. At various times, she served as the faculty advisor for the College Republicans, College Democrats and the Young Americans for Liberty. She is probably best known in Maine for her biweekly column in the Bangor Daily News, which ran from fall 2011 to early 2025. Fried also publishes outside of academia in national venues and is interviewed widely for her political analysis. Fried has helped other professors develop skills for engaging with the public, press, community groups and elected officials. She loves to kayak, box and travel. You can find her on Bluesky at @asfried.bsky.social.
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As Amy pointed out, supporting indie media like The Crash Report is a great way to help counter the impact of the Constitutional Crisis Cabal. And while Maine’s Legacy Media continues with newsroom layoffs, The Crash Report continues to expand, with more journalism and analysis that goes places where other media won’t.
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