By Matt Underwood Trump Is Getting Weaker, and the Resistance Is Getting Stronger
It seems like we’re constantly hearing about how Trump is defying expectations of normalcy. This is happening as the American people are being asked to consider increasingly radical means of opposing his administration. And, at the same time, it looks like the administration is gearing up to potentially use large-scale violence on the American people.
The fact that ratings don’t seem to matter anymore is a real problem. It’s been a rough year for those who clearly see Trump’s actions for what they are. He came back into office emboldened, surrounded by those who blindly follow him. It felt like he controlled not just the country but the very way people thought. And since then, it’s been a series of nightmares: armed men in the streets, migrants being sent to a torture prison, corruption that would make even the most corrupt dictators blush, and the shocking lack of backbone from so many leaders in business, law, the media, and academia. Trying to grasp the level of damage done in such a short time stretches the mind, like trying to imagine something impossible like light-years or black holes.
Yet, despite all of this, there are reasons to be hopeful as we approach the end of 2025. This hope comes from the millions of people across the country who have refused to give in to the administration’s bullying. When Trump began his second term, the general feeling was that the resistance was weak. If that was ever the case, it certainly isn’t anymore. This year has seen some of the largest street protests in American history. Groups dedicated to training young progressives to run for local office have seen more sign-ups since the 2024 election than they did in all of Trump’s first four years. And recently, even the Republican-dominated legislature in Indiana, pushed by voters, pushed back against MAGA attempts to intimidate them, refusing to redraw congressional maps in a way that eliminated Democratic-leaning districts.
As one resistance group founder pointed out, while Trump has caused immense damage that will affect generations to come, he hasn’t successfully locked down power. This has been stopped, and not, surprisingly, by those in power or elite institutions, but by ordinary people who have simply refused to accept fascism.
Looking back, we can see a few key turning points. One early one was a Wisconsin Supreme Court race. One very wealthy man, pouring millions into the race, lost. This defeat, and the humiliation that came with it, led to a withdrawal from electoral politics and a break with Trump. The tight relationship between the world’s richest man and the most powerful one began to crumble.
Then came Trump’s military parade, intended to show his power, which flopped, while simultaneous “No Kings” protests across the country were huge and energetic. Later, a tragedy occurred with the assassination of a media personality. The administration used this to try and silence opponents. When a late-night comedian made a comment that blamed the right for the killing, pressure resulted in the comedian being taken off the air. This was a dangerous moment for free speech. But then, there was a wave of cancellations of streaming services, as well as a celebrity boycott, and the comedian got his show back.
Trump has thoroughly corrupted the Justice Department, but selective prosecutions of his enemies have been stopped by judges and, more strikingly, by grand juries. Several grand juries have refused to indict those accused of wrongdoing by the administration. One example of this involves a Justice Department paralegal who tossed a sandwich at an officer during a protest. The administration sent agents in riot gear to arrest him, but grand jurors wouldn’t indict him on a felony. He was eventually charged with a misdemeanor and acquitted. The same happened with a former Fox News personality trying to get a federal indictment for assault against a protester. Three times, grand juries refused.
While these grand juries were in more liberal areas, their rejection of the prosecutors’ claims is still significant, because indictments are usually easy to get. The fact that outcomes from these grand juries suggest people are willing to hold the government accountable and not just be a rubber stamp is significant.
Trump ends the year weak and unpopular, his coalition is dispirited and torn apart by infighting. Democrats did well in the November elections. During the previous administration, far-right victories in local school board races indicated a cultural backlash that helped Trump. Now, though, Democrats are winning school board seats nationwide.
Much of the renewed resistance is due to Trump himself. If he had focused his deportation campaign on actual criminals or refrained from hurting the economy, while not dismissing concerns about affordability, he might still be a more powerful figure. He’s still a dangerous figure, especially as he feels more cornered and resentful. We could even be at war with another country very soon, without any clear reason provided.
But it has become easier to see the moment when his image finally disappears. Where fewer people want to defend him or admit that they ever supported him. The hope is that a critical mass of Americans will refuse to be intimidated or complicit. He’s always been a weak facade. The emperor is not just naked, he is a naked, weak, and allegedly smelly turd. He is a talented conman, however, and much of the country was fooled. Some have seen it for what it is and walked away. Others will stay because it feels good, until the plane crashes. These are the saddest people of all. He’s getting worse each day, and one day he will wake up and realize he has no clue who he is. The resistance is getting stronger.
However, there’s also the feeling of disbelief. How is this possible when people are being harassed? How is it possible when countries are being bombed without congressional approval? When Epstein’s files were released late and with many redactions? When his name is put on monuments? When talk show hosts are threatened and news stories are pulled?
Some say there is no resistance, and feel ashamed about the lack of action. Maybe the New York Times, for example, is compromised. It’s possible the people who are in a position to limit him are bought and paid for. Perhaps we are well and truly screwed.
The issue may be that Trump will become a martyr to his followers, complaining about conspiracies against him. The obvious corruption is in plain sight, and ignored.
The fact is, who will fill the void left by Trump? Will it be another billionaire? And the Democrats don’t seem to have the leadership or the will to confront the far-right. The hope is that there is a slow but steady cycle of events. It is a slow progress, but it is happening. The far right has been waiting for an idiot puppet like him for decades, and now they have him.
His influence is fading, but the “resistance” isn’t exactly making a big impact. A lot of talk, not enough action.
He can lie on TV, and the media will twist it into something different. It sounds like hope but maybe it is just hopium.
Some see Trump as being undefeated. Nothing he has wanted to do has been stopped. No institutions or nations have stood their ground against him. In America, there is no real resistance. The guy took over the media and even the pushback, the government shutdown, ended because of a Democratic fold.
He has been a successful president from the sole perspective of achieving his agenda, despite whether it is good or bad. Many people have simply given in. It’s hard to tell, but it seems there are those who see Trump as losing his grip. He’s cornered, like a crazy rat with its claws on a big red button.