The Tragic Shift a Single Year Has Caused in America

In late October 2024, the landscape was completely different. Ahead of the American presidential vote, considerate Americans could recognize the country's significant faults – its injustices and imbalance – yet they continued to perceive it as the United States. A democracy. A land where legal governance held significance. A state headed by a honorable and decent leader, even with his older age and increasing frailty.

Nowadays, as October 2025 ends, many of us barely recognize the country we reside in. People suspected of being illegal immigrants are rounded up and pushed into transport, at times refused legal rights. The East Wing of the presidential residence – is being destroyed for a grotesque ballroom. The president is persecuting his opponents or perceived antagonists and insisting legal authorities surrender a huge total of public funds. Armed military personnel are being sent into American cities on false pretexts. The military command, rebranded the Defense Ministry, has – in effect – rid itself of day-to-day journalistic scrutiny as it spends possibly reaching nearly $1tn of taxpayer money. Colleges, law firms, news companies are buckling due to presidential intimidation, and wealthy elites are treated like members of the royal family.

“The US, just months before its 250-year mark as the globe's top democratic nation, has crossed the limit into autocracy and extremism,” an American historian, wrote recently. “Ultimately, swifter than I imagined possible, it did happen in America.”

One awakes amid recent atrocities. And it is difficult to grasp – and distressing to accept – how deeply lost we have become, and how quickly it occurred.

Yet, we understand that the president was legitimately chosen. Following his profoundly alarming previous administration and despite the cautions linked to the understanding of the conservative plan – despite Trump himself said publicly he would be a dictator just on day one – sufficient voters elected him instead of his Democratic opponent.

As terrifying as the present situation may be, it's more daunting to recognize that we’re only three-quarters of a year into this presidential term. What will another 36 months of this deterioration leave us? And suppose the three years turns into something even longer, because there is nobody to limit this leader from determining that another term is essential, perhaps for defense purposes?

Granted, there is still hope. There will be midterm elections in 2026 that could establish an alternate balance of power, should Democrats recapture one or both houses of parliament. We have public servants who are striving to exert some accountability, like lawmakers who are initiating an inquiry concerning the try to fund seizure from legal authorities.

And a presidential election in 2028 could initiate us down the road to healing exactly as last year’s election put us on this unfortunate course.

There are numerous residents protesting in public spaces across municipalities, similar to recent in the past days at democracy demonstrations.

An ex-cabinet member, stated lately that “the slumbering force of the nation is rising”, just as it did following the Red Scare in that decade or during anti-war demonstrations or in the seventies crisis.

During those times, the listing ship finally returned to balance.

Reich says he knows the signals of that awakening and sees it happening at present. For proof, he references the widespread marches, the extensive, multi-faction opposition to a television host's removal and the near-unanimous defiance by media to accept military mandates they solely cover what is sanctioned.

“The slumbering entity always remains asleep till certain corruption turns extremely harmful, a particular deed so disrespectful toward public welfare, some brutality so noisy, that the giant is forced other than to stir.”

It’s an optimistic take, and I appreciate his knowledgeable stance. Maybe he’ll be validated.

At the same time, the crucial issues remain: is the US able to return to normalcy? Can it reclaim its status internationally and its adherence to the rule of law?

Or must we acknowledge that the historical project succeeded temporarily, and then – suddenly, utterly – failed?

My negative thoughts tells me that the latter is correct; that everything might be gone. My positive feelings, nevertheless, convinces me that we have to attempt, through all methods we can.

Personally, working in journalism analysis, that means encouraging reporters to live up, more thoroughly, to their duty of overseeing leadership. For others, it might involve working on election efforts, or organizing rallies, or finding ways to protect voting rights.

Less than a year ago, we lived in a very different place. Twelve months later? Or three years from now? The fact is, we cannot predict. All we can do is to strive to not give up.

What’s Giving Me Encouragement Today

The engagement I encounter during teaching with aspiring reporters, who are both hopeful and grounded, {always