Introduction by Oaklandsocialist: It is important to understand how the situation in the U.S. is perceived in Ukraine. Here is the point of view of Alexander Skyba. He is a Ukrainian socialist and head of the Charitable Fund for the Development of the Trade Union Movement. This is an English translation of Alexander’s article which was originally published in Ukraine.

America Before the Storm: Sovereign Conservatism, Trumpism, and the Struggle Over the Image of the Future

The contemporary United States is grappling with a profound crisis of identity and meaning. Once hailed as the land of dreams and the beacon of democracy, America now faces the realities of a fractured society where political paralysis has become the norm.

The Republican Party, historically the standard-bearer of American exceptionalism, has become increasingly influenced by the forces of Trumpist revanchism. Driven by a national-populist agenda rooted in a fear of globalization and the future, this movement aspires to ‘make America great again’. However, rather than revitalizing the nation, it has only served to entrench its decline.

Trump’s Sovereign Conservatism: A Path to Nowhere
Trumpism represents a doctrine of stagnation, seeking to anchor America in a state of decay. It exploits the concept of sovereign conservatism, offering isolation instead of leadership, conflict instead of cooperation, and control instead of freedom.

Much like the Kremlin justifies repression under the guise of protecting “traditional values”, MAGA ideologues perceive democracy as a threat to the national spirit. Policies such as abortion bans, the suppression of LGBTQ+ rights, and the cultural crusade against “woke ideology” mirror Russia’s campaign against so-called “foreign agents”.

Republican leadership offers no constructive vision for the future. Their platform is defined not by progress but by opposition to it. Unable to envision a society where all individuals have a place, they resort to dismantling existing structures to maintain power.

Artificial Confrontation as a Tool of Political Mobilization
The creation of internal enemies is a hallmark of authoritarian strategies. In Russia, these enemies are “national traitors” and “liberal agents”; in the United States, they are framed as Democrats, immigrants, and elites.

The rhetoric of figures such as Trump and DeSantis thrives on the politics of division:

• Democrats are branded as traitors and socialists;

• The free press, particularly when exposing Trump’s corruption, is labeled the “enemy of the people”;

• Immigrants are scapegoated for economic and social challenges.

This strategy fosters an environment of social compression, where chaos, threats of civil conflict, and societal polarization create conditions ripe for upheaval.

The Great Fire: A Catalyst for Chaos (2024–2028)
The potential for widespread unrest looms on the horizon:

• The Fuel: Radicalized conservatives, armed and ready to “take America back”;

• The Oxidizer: Progressive forces determined to defend the future of democracy.

The simmering discontent could ignite at any moment. Trump’s refusal to recognise the results of the 2024 election could be the spark. Just as Russia’s war in Ukraine has served as a tool for domestic control, an attempt to undermine democratic institutions in the U.S. could pave the way for a state of emergency regime.

Ultimately, Republican populism may collapse under the weight of its own contradictions, much like the fading influence of Z-patriotism in Russia. Yet, the passive ‘swamp’ of indifferent citizens will persist, while the true architects of the new world order – technological corporations and global elites – will continue to shape society. For these actors, democracy is not a goal but a means of governance.

The America of the Future: Democracy or Corporate State?
While the Kremlin’s power brokers steer Russia into deeper alignment with China, Trumpist isolationism risks relegating the U.S. to a fragmented, declining role on the world stage.

As China advances its vision of a “Community of Shared Future for Mankind”, the United States faces a pivotal choice: to engage actively in shaping the new global order or to remain trapped in an ideological conflict between conservatives and progressives – a struggle with no clear winners.

America cannot afford to become a Russian Federation 2.0, governed by nostalgia and fear. The vision for the future must be dynamic, not reactionary. Democracy is not merely a form of government; it is an ongoing process that requires moving forward, not backwards.

If the United States fails to recognize this imperative in time, the future will make the choice for it.

Oaklandsocialist comments: It is difficult for those living outside the United States to fully grasp the insanity that has gripped U.S. politics through MAGA. A couple of points must be borne in mind:

First is the degeneration of the U.S. capitalist class and their representatives in congress. As the future of their system looks increasingly dim, corruption becomes the rule. A process of the lumpenization of the capitalist class has taken hold. This has also gripped their representatives in congress who nowadays care more for their own personal careers – and wealth – than they do for the interests of U.S. capitalism itself.

Meanwhile, one wing of the capitalist class has become enthralled with their own power. That is the Silicon Valley entrepeneurs. They have torn asunder the communication and entertainment industry and rebuilt it to their liking. Along the way, they have completely trampled on workers rights. Having met only minimal resistance, they now are trying to impose this model on U.S. society as a whole.

Part of the reason for their hubris is the devastating crisis of the U.S. working class. There is hardly even a hint of working class resistance. This leaves an enormous vacuum whith the tech billionaires think they can fill without any problem.

The enormous hubris of these billionaires, connected with the same by Trump, means that huge blunders are nearly inevitable. This would not be the first time the rulers in society made such blunders. What was the US invasion of Iraq, after all? In fact, one could argue that Putin’s invasion of Ukraine if not a blunder was certainly based on false information.