Trump Leads Anti-Communist Push After Leftist Primary Wins
In the wake of primary election victories by democratic socialists and their progressive allies in New York and elsewhere, Donald Trump and his Republican allies have launched a broad effort to brand Democrats as communists, reviving language from the John Birch Society that had fallen into disuse. Trump has increasingly made the accusation distinct and clear, conflating democratic socialism with communism—a well-worn Republican tactic to weaponize voters' fears of Marxism against liberal policies.
Trump's Mount Rushmore Speech Attacks 'Godless Communist Morality'
Speaking at Mount Rushmore for an address marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Trump declared: 'Communism is the exact opposite of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It’s death, tyranny and the pursuit of evil. The godless communist morality states that anything is justified to bring about inhuman visions … They don’t want good. They don’t love God and they don’t want God. They don’t love religion and they don’t want religion, and they won’t have it, but we will not let them win.'
Trump's Own Actions Expand Government Control Over Industry
Despite his anti-communist rhetoric, Trump has overseen the most significant extension of government control over private industry since the start of the Cold War. The US government now holds a 9.9% stake in Intel Corporation, making it the chip maker's largest single shareholder, after Trump redirected funds from the Chips Act to rescue the firm. The government also has warrants to purchase another 5% of the company. This is just one of dozens of nationalized state investments since Trump's second term began. The US has a 15% stake in MP Materials, with the Department of Defense as the rare earth producer's largest shareholder. The Department of Energy holds a 5% stake in Lithium Americas and a 5% economic stake in its Thacker Pass joint venture with GM.
Tariffs and Golden Shares Give Government Veto Power
Trump allowed the acquisition of US Steel by a Japanese firm only on condition of a 'golden share' that gives the government veto power over some industrial decisions on national security grounds. OpenAI is in talks with the administration to turn over 5% of its equity to the government. Trump has wielded tariffs as a cudgel, protecting or punishing industries and specific firms based on White House policy or personal whims. Nvidia and AMD only obtained export licenses for their AI chips after agreeing to pay the US government 15% of their China chip revenue.
Right-Wing Media Echoes Anti-Communist Language
Trump's anti-communist language has been echoed across the right-wing media landscape. Fox News host Jesse Watters said of the Democratic Party: 'They screwed up so badly and didn’t deliver a damned thing when they had power, that they had to play footsie with commies to shore up their base. They’re weak. Brand is in the toilet. And they opened the door just a crack and danger just walked in. These are cold-blooded revolutionaries who want to bury America.'
New York Mayor's Speech Sparks Right-Wing Backlash
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani spoke ahead of Independence Day, criticizing wealth inequality and capitalism. The right seized on his remarks. US House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Fox News Sunday: 'The barbarians are inside the gate,' describing democratic socialism as 'a serious threat to our whole system of government.' Former White House adviser Matt Mowers told NewsMax: 'This is what you expect out of the communists. That’s why he chose the day before our 250th celebration of our independence, in order to launch this divisive type of speech. He’s trying to tear people apart at a time when we should be united and celebrating.'
Republican Infighting Over Strategy
Mowers lost a Republican primary bid for Congress in 2022 to Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, who in comments to Watters ascribed Gen Z's complaints about the cost of living to 'laziness' and 'silver spoons in their mouths, just getting everything handed to them.' Leavitt later walked back her remarks. Far-right commentator Barbara Boyd of Promethean Action said in a video that 'Many Republicans think it’s a good development. They say it will make the midterms easier to win because Americans don’t like socialists.' Boyd is among conservatives circulating a platform drafted by the Marxist Unity Group, a radical faction within the Democratic Socialists of America that wants to break away from the Democratic Party and advocates for eliminating the US Senate and Supreme Court. 'So, how do we defeat this? Probably not, as Republicans suggest, by constantly flogging how crazy these people are, although they are crazy … We have to make the culture Donald Trump is recreating, American culture, self-conscious to our people,' Boyd said.
