COLUMN: Trump and the Art of Silencing Dissent—When Secret Executive Orders Become Weapons

Resistance is mounting, but for how long?

Faced with this unprecedented offensive, only one bastion seems to be holding: the courts. The ACLU, with its 1.7 million members, has already announced that it will block several of these executive orders, arguing that they violate constitutional rights. States like California are refusing to enforce certain federal directives, and dozens of lawsuits have been filed against the administration. But will the Supreme Court—now with a conservative majority, including three justices appointed by Trump himself—serve as a bulwark or a facilitator? Observers are concerned: if the legal challenges fail, nothing will stop Trump from continuing his crusade against his opponents. Especially since his administration has already proven that it does not hesitate to use the federal apparatus to intimidate, as evidenced by the sanctions against federal employees who were fired for criticizing his immigration policy.

The courts are our last hope. But when the justice system itself is politicized, when judges are appointed for their loyalty rather than their integrity, how can we believe in a favorable outcome? We’re told to trust the institutions, but these institutions are being dismantled from within. Trump and his allies will stop at nothing: they’re appointing loyalists to key positions, weakening checks and balances, and turning the administration into a war machine against their opponents. And meanwhile, millions of Americans are turning a blind eye, because it suits them, because it fits their worldview. But when will they realize that when you sacrifice the freedom of others, you end up losing your own?

Protesters, the media, academics: all in the crosshairs

The targets are many. Pro-Palestinian protesters are being cracked down on with unprecedented violence, and their rallies are being banned under the pretext of “disturbing public order.” Independent media outlets are seeing their access to presidential briefings restricted, their journalists harassed, and their newsrooms threatened with sanctions. Academics who dare to criticize Trump’s immigration or climate policies find themselves deprived of funding or even fired. Even former military personnel are no longer safe: in February 2026, the Department of Defense launched disciplinary proceedings against veterans who had signed an op-ed denouncing the White House’s “illegal orders.” The message is clear: in this America, there is no longer any room for dissent. Only obedience matters.

I sometimes wonder what remains of the America I once knew—the one that saw itself as a haven for ideas, debates, and struggles. Today, we are witnessing a modern-day witch hunt, where the simple act of thinking differently becomes an act of rebellion. Academics remain silent, journalists practice self-censorship, and protesters are afraid. And meanwhile, Trump and his henchmen celebrate their “victory” over the “elites,” the “leftists,” and the “enemies of the people.” But who are America’s real enemies? Those who defend rights, justice, and truth? Or those who, from the Oval Office, are orchestrating an unprecedented ideological purge? The answer should be obvious. Yet doubt is setting in. So is fear. And that is exactly what they want.

A model that inspires oppressive regimes

The worst part is that this repressive model is not confined to U.S. borders. According to Human Rights Watch, Trump’s policies in Latin America—such as extrajudicial strikes against vessels suspected of drug trafficking, which left 120 people dead in 2025—have served as a pretext for already repressive regimes to intensify their own crackdown. “The Trump administration’s actions and rhetoric have worsened the human rights situation and contributed to the erosion of democracy in Latin America,” says Juanita Goebertus, HRW’s director for the Americas. In other words, the United States is no longer just a poor performer when it comes to human rights: it is becoming a bad example, an endorsement for dictators around the world.

There was a time when the United States presented itself as the guardian of democracy, the defender of the oppressed, and the champion of human rights. Today, it has become a testing ground for autocrats, a showcase for regimes that dream of silencing their people. When Trump orders extrajudicial strikes, when he criminalizes dissent, when he uses the machinery of the state to punish his opponents, he is not only betraying American values—he is lending international legitimacy to repression. And that, perhaps, is the most serious consequence. Because when America falls, the world trembles. Because when the beacon goes out, the entire planet is plunged into darkness.

When Administrative Overload Becomes a Political Weapon

The method is well-established: to overwhelm the opposition, the media, and the courts with an avalanche of executive orders, memoranda, and directives. The goal? To prevent them from reacting, organizing, or fighting back. In 65 days, Trump has signed more executive orders than any other president has in 100 days. Some are symbolic; others are deeply destructive. But they all serve the same purpose: to create a climate of uncertainty, fear, and confusion. “Flood the zone with shit,” as Bannon put it. The result: Democrats, who are in the minority in Congress, are struggling to keep up. The media is having a hard time covering it all. Citizens, overwhelmed by information, eventually give up. And Trump, for his part, marches on, unperturbed, toward his goal: unlimited power, without checks and balances, without opposition.

It’s a strategy as simple as it is effective. When everything is moving too fast, when blows are raining down from all sides, people eventually give in. They tell themselves it’s too complicated, too confusing, too discouraging. And that’s exactly what Trump wants: for us to give up, to stay silent, to accept it. But resignation is the worst kind of defeat. Because every time we close our eyes, every time we look away, we give him a little more power. We allow him to keep going. So no, we cannot stay silent. No, we can’t just let it happen. Even if it’s exhausting. Even if it’s discouraging. Because the day we stop fighting is the day he’ll have won. And that, I cannot accept.

When Dissent Becomes a Duty

Faced with this repressive machine, what can citizens do? A great deal. Protests are multiplying, despite the risks. NGOs are resisting, despite the pressure. Whistleblowers are speaking out, despite the threats. States like California and New York are refusing to enforce the most freedom-eroding executive orders. Judges are blocking certain measures. Independent media outlets continue to investigate. And then there are the midterm elections in 2026. A crucial moment, when Americans will have the opportunity to say “enough.” Or to endorse, once again, their country’s slide toward authoritarianism. The choice is theirs. But one thing is certain: if no one resists, no one will come to save them.

I firmly believe that power, even the most absolute, always has a weakness: the determination of ordinary people. Those who refuse to remain silent. Those who continue to protest, to write, to speak out—even when all seems lost. Because it is in those moments that history is made. Not in palaces, not in air-conditioned offices, but in the streets, in the courts, in newsrooms, in universities. Trump can sign as many executive orders as he wants; he’ll never be able to extinguish this spark of rebellion. But for it to become a raging fire, everyone must do their part. Let’s stop telling ourselves that “it won’t change anything anyway.” Let’s understand that if we do nothing, then yes, nothing will change. And that would be the real defeat.

The Fourth Estate in Jeopardy

The media have a crucial role to play in this battle. But many, under pressure, are practicing self-censorship. Others, such as Fox News or Breitbart, have become mouthpieces for Trumpist propaganda. Only a few are resisting, investigating, and speaking out. Yet this is more necessary than ever. Because without a free press, without journalists of integrity, without verified information, democracy is nothing more than an empty shell. Attacks on independent media, restrictions on access to briefings, threats against reporters: all of this is part of the same strategy. A strategy aimed at controlling information and imposing a single version of reality—Trump’s.

I remember a time when journalists were watchdogs, when newsrooms were bastions of truth. Today, too many of them have become courtiers, docile mouthpieces of power. But there are still those who resist. Men and women who, despite the pressure, continue to dig deeper, to expose the truth, and to speak out about what others keep silent. And it is them we must trust. Because in a democracy, the press is not just another branch of government: it is the ultimate counterweight to power. It is the force that can, if it chooses, prevent abuses, expose lies, and protect citizens. But to do that, it must dare. It must resist. It must refuse to give in. Because the day the media gives up is the day democracy itself collapses.

When Allies Become Accomplices Through Silence

As America sinks deeper into authoritarianism, the rest of the world watches, often powerless. Europe, in particular, is hesitant. Some leaders, such as California Governor Gavin Newsom, loudly denounce the “destruction of alliances” and call for a “tit-for-tat response.” Others, more cautious, prefer not to upset Washington. Yet silence is a form of complicity. Because when the United States, the world’s leading power, tramples on human rights, the entire international community is weakened. So yes, it’s difficult. Yes, it comes at a cost. But there are times when duty trumps caution. And that time is now.

Europe has a choice to make. Either it continues to turn a blind eye, to negotiate, to stall, hoping that this won’t last. Or it wakes up, says “enough,” imposes sanctions, and shows that certain lines must not be crossed. Because if even European democracies let this happen, then who is left to say no? Trump respects only force. So we must oppose him with a greater force: the force of values, the force of solidarity, the force of dignity. Because if we don’t do this, if we let America sink without saying a word, then we will all be complicit. And history will not forgive us for that.

The Time to Choose

Trump’s America is no longer the America of the Enlightenment, of inalienable rights, or of freedom of expression. It is an America where people are ruled by fear, where dissent is suppressed, where criticism is turned into a crime. But one thing is certain: authoritarian regimes never fall on their own. They fall because men and women, despite everything, refuse to submit. So yes, the task is immense. Yes, the obstacles are numerous. But we have no choice. Because if we let this happen, if we give up, then we will have lost far more than an election or a political debate. We will have lost what makes us free. And that is something no executive order, no law, and no president will ever be able to give us back.

I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I don’t know if the courts will stand their ground, if citizens will wake up, if the world will react in time. But one thing is certain: we cannot remain silent. We cannot look the other way. We cannot let a handful of men, drunk with power, decide our future. So yes, I’m afraid. Yes, I’m angry. But I’m also determined. Because as long as there’s one voice left to say no, as long as there’s one spark of rebellion left, the fight isn’t lost. And that voice will be ours. That spark will be us. So yes, the fight will be long. Yes, it will be difficult. But it’s worth it. Because freedom is priceless.

Signed, Jacques Provost