By Gemma Ortwerth
Donald Trump’s recent speech to Congress was not simply another political rallying cry—it was a declaration of war against marginalized communities and a stark reaffirmation of authoritarianism. His rhetoric was not policy, not leadership, but propaganda—carefully engineered to stoke fear, inflame division, and manipulate public perception.
As a transgender, autistic woman with immigrant ancestry, I recognize his words for what they are: a continuation of systemic violence, wrapped in hollow populism and a sinister promise to “save America” from the very people who built it.
But it’s more than just the usual dog whistles—it’s a blueprint for fascist escalation. His statement about Greenland, where he insisted the United States would “get it one way or another,” is not a joke, nor a passing remark. It is a chilling echo of Hitler’s rhetoric leading up to the annexation of the Sudetenland, a precursor to full-scale invasion under the guise of protecting “cultural” and “economic” interests. This is how expansionist regimes have always justified conquest: by treating sovereign nations as bargaining chips, dismissing self-determination, and assuming entitlement to land that does not belong to them.
His speech was a warning. If we do not challenge this openly and decisively, history may not just repeat itself—it may accelerate into a full-scale reenactment.
The Lies of the Trump Playbook: How Propaganda Masks Oppression
Trump’s speech followed a clear pattern: create a false crisis, blame it on the most vulnerable, and position himself as the only savior. He painted a picture of an America in decline, using crime rates, immigration, and economic hardship as his talking points—none of which hold up under scrutiny.
1. The Manufactured Immigration Crisis
Trump’s fixation on immigration as a threat to national security follows a long tradition of white nationalist fearmongering. He continues to spew debunked claims about crime rates among undocumented immigrants, despite studies consistently showing that undocumented people commit crimes at lower rates than native-born citizens.
His language—invoking “invaders” and “poisoning our blood”—mirrors the rhetoric of fascists throughout history, from Mussolini to the architects of Jim Crow. This is not an accident. It is deliberate psychological conditioning, priming his audience to view immigrants as subhuman threats rather than people fleeing violence, economic instability, and climate catastrophe—many of whom are escaping the very conditions the U.S. has helped create through decades of interventionist policies.
The truth is this: Immigrants, including my own Italian ancestors, have always been the backbone of American prosperity. The real economic threats do not come from asylum seekers but from billionaires like Trump, Musk, and their corporate allies, who hoard wealth while workers struggle to afford rent. The solution isn’t mass deportation—it’s labor protections, fair wages, and dismantling the structures that enable this economic disparity in the first place.
2. Weaponizing Transphobia to Distract and Divide
Trump’s attacks on transgender people have escalated beyond rhetoric and into outright legislative cruelty. He frames trans existence as a “threat”—to children, to women’s sports, to the integrity of society itself. This is not a policy debate. It is a calculated distraction.
By convincing his base that trans people are the enemy, he directs attention away from the failures of his administration, the corruption that lines his pockets, and the policies that actively harm working-class Americans. It is a manufactured moral panic, designed to keep people fixated on an invented “enemy” instead of the real sources of economic and social instability.
But scientific research overwhelmingly supports the rights of transgender people to exist in alignment with their gender identity. MRI studies have shown that trans individuals’ brain structures align more closely with their identified gender than their assigned sex at birth. Historical accounts confirm that trans and nonbinary identities have existed across cultures for centuries, from the Hijras of South Asia to Two-Spirit Indigenous peoples in North America.
Our existence is not new. What is new is the level of urgency with which the right seeks to erase us.
3. The False Premise of “Law and Order”
Trump presents himself as the defender of “law and order,” despite overseeing an administration riddled with criminal investigations, inciting a violent insurrection, and aligning himself with domestic terrorists. His speech glorified police militarization while failing to acknowledge the epidemic of police brutality disproportionately affecting Black, Brown, and disabled Americans.
This narrative has never been about public safety—it has always been about control. The goal of increasing police presence, surveillance, and punitive laws is not to protect people, but to suppress them, particularly those most vulnerable to state violence.
We do not need more cops in schools, more surveillance, or more punitive measures. We need investment in communities, mental health care, housing, and education—none of which his policies offer.
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A Dangerous Expansionist Mindset: The Greenland Comment
Trump’s comment about Greenland is not just an embarrassing display of American entitlement—it is a direct nod to authoritarian expansionism. His insistence that the U.S. will “get Greenland one way or another” is a textbook example of imperialist thinking: treating smaller nations as assets to be acquired, rather than sovereign entities with rights, autonomy, and culture.
We’ve seen this before. Hitler’s justification for annexing the Sudetenland was that Germans living there needed “protection.” Putin used the same rationale in Crimea. This kind of rhetoric has always been the precursor to violent takeovers.
The people of Greenland, through their Prime Minister, have already made their position clear: “We are Greenlanders. We do not want to be Americans, nor Danes.” Trump’s disregard for this statement is telling. To him, their sovereignty is a mere inconvenience—one that, in his mind, can be negotiated away, pressured, or outright ignored. That’s how authoritarianism metastasizes.
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This Is Not Just Politics—It Is Survival
For queer people, immigrants, disabled individuals, and all marginalized communities, this is not an intellectual debate. This is about whether we are allowed to exist safely. Trump’s America is not a place where I, or people like me, can thrive. But I refuse to surrender to fear.
We must recognize that this is not just about one man. Trump is a symptom of a deeper sickness—one that thrives on inequality, white supremacy, and unchecked capitalism. Our response cannot be passive. We need to counter his vision of America with one of our own—one that is radically inclusive, unapologetically intersectional, and rooted in community care.
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A Call to Action: Fighting Fascism in Your Own Backyard
The antidote to Trump’s fascism isn’t just voting—it’s direct action, mutual aid, and community solidarity. Here’s what you can do:
1. Protect Your Neighbors: If you have trans people, immigrants, or other vulnerable individuals in your community, check in on them. Offer support. Help fund legal protections. Be a safe house if necessary.
2. Interrupt Disinformation: When family members or friends parrot Trump’s lies, push back with facts. Share reputable sources. Challenge their assumptions without escalating to hostility.
3. Support LGBTQ+ and Immigration Rights Organizations: Groups like the ACLU, National Center for Transgender Equality, and RAICES are on the frontlines fighting for policy change.
4. Engage in Local Politics: School boards, city councils, and local elections have immediate consequences. Fascism grows at the local level before it takes the national stage.
5. Practice Mutual Aid: Donate to bail funds, community fridges, and housing programs. Capitalism thrives on isolation; we thrive when we build systems of care.
6. Refuse to Be Silenced: If you are safe enough to speak, do so loudly. Share stories. Elevate marginalized voices. The more visible we are, the harder it becomes for them to erase us.
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Final Thoughts: The Time for Appeasement Is Over
We cannot afford another round of Trumpism. We cannot afford another round of appeasement. The question is not whether we resist, but how. And if we do it right, history will remember us—not as victims of fascism, but as those who fought to dismantle it.
Gemma Ortwerth 
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