Trump and the Evolution of American Coup Politics: Understanding Attempts to Seize and Consolidate Power

The concept of a coup d'état has traditionally been associated with military takeovers in unstable democracies, not with the United States of America. However, events surrounding former and current President Donald Trump have prompted scholars, politicians, and journalists to apply this terminology to American politics. Substantial documentation reveals a coordinated effort to overturn the 2020 election results culminating in the January 6 Capitol attack, which many experts have classified as an attempted "self-coup" or "autogolpe." More recent evidence from early 2025 suggests that Trump, now back in office, is implementing what some describe as "a new kind of coup" with the assistance of powerful allies like Elon Musk and guided by the controversial Project 2025 blueprint. The situation presents unprecedented challenges to American democratic institutions, with actions being implemented at such velocity that other branches of government and citizens alike struggle to respond effectively. This report examines the evidence for classifying Trump's actions as coup attempts, both during the 2020-2021 post-election period and in his current presidency beginning in 2025.

The 2020-2021 Attempt to Overturn Election Results

Timeline of Trump's Post-Election Efforts

Following Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump engaged in a systematic effort to overturn the results using multiple avenues of attack. Within hours of polls closing, while votes were still being counted, Trump declared victory and demanded that counting be halted10. This marked the beginning of what would become a multi-faceted campaign to subvert the election outcomes through both legal and extra-legal means. Trump pursued an "unprecedented effort to overturn the results" through dozens of ill-fated lawsuits that were ultimately rejected by courts for lack of evidence or legal standing10. In addition to these legal challenges, Trump mounted pressure campaigns aimed at Republican governors, secretaries of state, and state legislators to nullify results by replacing Biden electors with slates pledged to Trump10. The Senate Judiciary Committee investigated Trump's actions and concluded in a report that he "grossly abused the power of the presidency"1.

Perhaps most concerning was Trump's attempt to weaponize the Department of Justice to assist in his efforts. According to CNN, Trump had executive orders drafted that would have directed the Defense Department and Department of Homeland Security to confiscate voting machines in swing states14. He also contemplated naming environmental lawyer Jeffrey Clark as attorney general specifically because Clark was willing to send a letter to swing states suggesting widespread voter fraud had occurred in the election, despite no evidence supporting such claims14. As traditional avenues failed, Trump's tactics became increasingly desperate. Special counsel Jack Smith's filing described these as "a series of increasingly desperate plans to overturn the legitimate election results in seven states that he had lost"11.

The January 6 Capitol Attack and Its Immediate Aftermath

The culmination of Trump's efforts came on January 6, 2021, when thousands of his supporters gathered in Washington, D.C. for a "Save America" rally10. During his speech, Trump repeated false claims about election irregularities and told the crowd, "If you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore"10. Following this incendiary rhetoric, approximately 2,000-2,500 people breached the Capitol Building while Congress was certifying the Electoral College votes10. The events of that day were chaotic and violent. Rioters assaulted Capitol Police officers and journalists, vandalized offices including those of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and occupied the Senate chamber while law enforcement defended the evacuated House floor10.

Pipe bombs were discovered at both the Democratic and Republican National Committee headquarters10. Importantly, Trump resisted sending the National Guard to quell the violence, and only hours later released a video asking supporters to "go home in peace" while still repeating false election claims10. The House Select Committee investigating the attack concluded that "Jan. 6 was the culmination of an attempted coup, a brazen attempt, as one rioter put it shortly after Jan. 6, to overthrow the government... The violence was no accident. It represents Trump's last stand, most desperate chance to halt the transfer of power"10. According to the committee, Trump "lied to the American people, ignored all evidence refuting his false fraud claims, pressured state and federal officials to throw out election results favoring his challenger, encouraged a violent mob to storm the Capitol and even signaled support for the execution of his own vice president"10.

Analysis as a Self-Coup Attempt

Scholars and legal experts have increasingly classified Trump's post-election activities, culminating in January 6, as an attempted "self-coup" or "autogolpe"—a specific type of coup in which a sitting leader attempts to extend their power unconstitutionally. According to analysis from Cambridge University published in Government and Opposition, the Capitol attack and events leading to it had "all the telling features of a self-coup attempt"8. Self-coups occur when "a nation's chief executive, in order to hold onto, consolidate or expand power, coercively interferes with or shuts down another branch or branches of government"8. The Brookings Institution similarly concluded that Trump's behavior constituted a self-coup since he "sought to undermine the integrity of the November 3 election and has sought to overturn the results"15.

The term "autogolpe" has historical precedents in Latin America, including President Alberto Fujimori of Peru, who dissolved congress and curtailed judicial independence in 1992, and President Jorge Serrano Elías of Guatemala, who was rebuffed after attempting to dissolve congress and the judiciary in 199315. What distinguishes Trump's actions from a traditional coup is that they were initiated by the sitting executive rather than by military officers or others against the chief executive15. According to the Cambridge analysis, what separates successful self-coups from failures is typically the support of the armed forces—and in Trump's case, "The US armed forces never came to the president's defence in pursuing this perilous course of action, and ultimately intervened to stop it"8.

Theoretical Framework for Understanding Trump's Actions

Definition and Characteristics of Coups vs. Self-Coups

To properly classify Trump's actions, it's important to understand the technical definitions involved. According to Merriam-Webster, a coup is "a sudden decisive exercise of force in politics and especially the violent overthrow or alteration of an existing government by a small group"12. The concept of a "self-coup" or "autogolpe" refines this definition to address situations where the sitting executive is the one attempting to retain or expand power through unconstitutional means. The Cato Institute acknowledges the debate over terminology but ultimately concludes, "Yes, It Was an Attempted Coup"7.

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton claimed that Trump and those around him "simply weren't sophisticated enough for the January 6 riot at the US Capitol to be rightly read as a coup attempt"14. Bolton suggested that "As somebody who has helped plan coups d'etat – not here, but, you know, other places – it takes a lot of work"14. However, this view has been challenged by subsequent evidence of the systematic nature of Trump's efforts. Writing for Discourse magazine, Michael J. Ard offered a similar argument, stating that the whole affair was "too disorganized, delusional and poorly planned to count as a real, serious attempted coup"7. Yet the Cato Institute notes that this reasoning fails to account for the coordinated nature of the broader effort to overturn the election, which extended far beyond the Capitol riot itself.

Comparative Analysis with Other Countries

The Latin American examples of self-coups in Peru, Guatemala, and Bolivia provide useful parallels for understanding Trump's actions, all involving efforts by sitting executives to maintain power beyond their legal mandate15. The Brookings Institution notes that while Trump's self-coup attempt failed, it "revealed the vacuity of American exceptionalism" by demonstrating that the United States is not immune to the types of democratic backsliding seen elsewhere in the world15. This comparative framework helps place the American experience in a global context, suggesting that despite its long democratic tradition, the United States faces similar vulnerabilities to newer democracies.

What makes the current situation in the United States in 2025 somewhat unique, according to historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat, is that it represents "a new kind of coup," one where power appears to be shared between Trump and billionaire Elon Musk12. As Ben-Ghiat notes, "The point of personalist rule is to reinforce the strongman. There is only room for one authoritarian leader at the top of the power vertical. Here there are two"12. This unusual power-sharing arrangement complicates traditional classifications but doesn't diminish the fundamental anti-democratic nature of the actions being taken. The partnership between an elected president and the world's richest man represents a novel threat to democratic governance that has few direct historical precedents.

Debate Over Classification - Was It Truly a Coup?

The evidence suggests that Trump's effort to overturn the 2020 election was more coordinated than it initially appeared. The Capitol attack came after months of systematic efforts through various means, including pressuring state officials, filing dozens of lawsuits, attempting to weaponize the Justice Department, and contemplating declaring martial law1 1011. The Cato Institute argues that while the events may not have been a sophisticated military coup, they still constituted an attempted coup because they involved "a violent assault on the legislative branch with the intent of preventing the peaceful transfer of power"7.

The Cambridge analysis similarly concludes that the attack "had all the hallmarks of a self-coup" given that it was "planned and instigated by the president for the purpose of preventing the Congress from ratifying the election of Joe Biden as president"8. This classification is further supported by the House Select Committee's investigation, which characterized the events as an "attempted coup" and a "brazen attempt... to overthrow the government"10. The weight of expert opinion, therefore, leans heavily toward classifying Trump's post-election actions as a coup attempt, specifically a self-coup, despite ongoing debates about the precise terminology.

The Current Situation (2025)

Trump's Actions Since Taking Office in 2025

Since taking office in January 2025, Trump has implemented a series of actions that many analysts describe as a continuation or acceleration of his anti-democratic tendencies. According to CNN reporting from February 2025, Trump and his allies are "pummeling federal agencies, targeting bureaucrats, clawing back spending approved by Congress, buckling the world order and busting trade pacts"13. These actions are being implemented at such velocity that "other branches of government, his opponents and voters [are] struggling to grasp what's happening and unable to resist"13. One of Trump's first actions upon taking office was granting clemency to all January 6 rioters, including those convicted of violent offenses10. This move, occurring on January 20, 2025, signaled an intention to rewrite the narrative of January 6 and legitimize the actions of those who participated in the attack on the Capitol.

CounterPunch argues that "Trump has established a dictatorial record that has no parallel in American history. He has shredded the balance of power that the Founding Fathers created 250 years ago, and has resorted to extra-legal, undemocratic practices to weaken America's democracy"3. These assertions point to a fundamental shift in governance that goes beyond normal policy differences to challenge the constitutional framework itself. The implementation methods have raised serious concerns about constitutional governance, with Tax Research UK describing 2025 as "a nightmare year for Donald Trump" due to the chaotic implementation of his agenda6.

The Role of Elon Musk and DOGE

Perhaps the most unprecedented aspect of Trump's second term is the prominent role being played by Elon Musk, the world's richest man. Musk has been appointed to lead the so-called "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE), named after the cryptocurrency9. This arrangement has raised serious concerns about accountability and democratic governance. According to Lucid, "Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, has taken over the payment and other administration systems that allow the American government to function, and has locked out federal employees from computer systems"9. This unprecedented power grab is being implemented largely outside traditional government structures, as "Musk is subject to no Congressional or other oversight because he seems to have no real official function other than as head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency"9.

Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance describes this as "a new kind of coup," arguing that while there has been no violence, "this is a coup fueled by tech bros, not the military"12. The arrangement represents "an effort to use extra-legal, undemocratic practices to radically alter American democracy, undoing the balance of power the Founding Fathers established between the three branches of government by consolidating power in the hands of the presidency as a complacent, Republican-led Congress looks on"12. The involvement of Musk, who according to Lucid invested $290 million in Trump and other Republican candidates in the 2024 election, suggests a troubling blurring of lines between private wealth and public power9.

Project 2025 and Its Implementation

Many of the actions being taken by the Trump administration appear to follow the blueprint laid out in Project 2025, a 900-page policy document produced by the Heritage Foundation, one of Washington's most prominent right-wing think tanks17. According to the BBC, Project 2025 contains proposals that "would expand presidential power and impose an ultra-conservative social vision"17. During his campaign, Trump repeatedly disavowed Project 2025 after public backlash over some of its more radical ideas17. However, since taking office, "he has nominated several of its authors to fill key government positions, and many of his initial executive orders closely follow proposals outlined in the document"17.

Slate reports that "Donald Trump is a notoriously dishonest man, but one of his oft-used slogans has proved absolutely true: Promises Made, Promises Kept. Unfortunately, this time around, the promises being kept weren't all made by Trump. They were made by the fanatics who penned Project 2025"16. The article notes that "the mass firings, the power grabs, and the agency shutterings are not just Musk's doing. They were planned and proposed well before Trump was even elected, right there for everyone to see, in Project 2025"16. The best way to implement the Project's vision, according to Slate, is to "gut the federal bureaucracy, firing career civil servants and replacing them—or simply leaving their positions empty"16.

Concerns About Democratic Institutions

One specific example of institutional disruption is the sudden shuttering of the Agency for International Development (USAID). According to CounterPunch, "the employees of the Agency for International Development (AID) were told to stay home, and the following day Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared himself to be the acting administrator of AID"3. Heather Cox Richardson notes that if Republicans wanted to eliminate USAID, they could have done so legally through Congress, but instead they permitted "unelected billionaire Elon Musk" to effectively take control of government functions12. Rubio blamed the change on "high levels of 'insubordination' among the senior leadership of the Agency," while Musk "has taken credit for gutting AID"3.

CNN reports that there are "multiple and growing signs that institutions like the FBI, CIA, DOJ and federal agencies that Americans have relied upon to deliver justice and keep them safe, prosperous and healthy are now mere tools of Trump's whims"13. This consolidation of power raises fundamental questions about checks and balances in American government. CommonWealth Beacon describes the situation as a coup "taking place on multiple fronts at a dizzying pace" with "marauders... marauding, stealing our information, abusing our civil servants, and flouting our laws"5. The article calls for "reliable, centralized information" to combat what it sees as a systematic assault on democratic governance5.

Implications and Consequences

Impact on American Democracy

The events surrounding Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election and his actions since returning to office in 2025 represent an unprecedented challenge to American democratic institutions. The Brookings Institution notes that Trump's failed self-coup in 2020-2021 "revealed the vacuity of American exceptionalism" by demonstrating that the United States is not immune to democratic backsliding15. The current situation in 2025 raises even more profound questions about the resilience of American democracy. CNN describes Trump's actions as potentially "a fateful reshaping of American governance under a mighty presidency that was never envisaged by the founders"13.

The consolidation of power in the executive branch, coupled with the outsourcing of government functions to unelected figures like Elon Musk, threatens the fundamental separation of powers that underlies the American constitutional system. CounterPunch argues that Trump has "shredded the balance of power that the Founding Fathers created 250 years ago" and has "resorted to extra-legal, undemocratic practices to weaken America's democracy"3. This assessment suggests that the current situation represents not just a policy disagreement but a fundamental threat to the American democratic system itself. The rapid transformation of government institutions raises serious questions about whether traditional democratic guardrails can effectively constrain executive overreach.

Legal and Political Responses

Following the January 6 attack, the House of Representatives impeached Trump for "incitement of insurrection," making him the only U.S. president to be impeached twice10. However, the Senate voted 57-43 in favor of conviction, falling short of the required two-thirds majority, resulting in his acquittal10. Special counsel Jack Smith investigated Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 election and in August 2023 indicted him on four charges10. However, these charges were dismissed in November 2024 following Trump's reelection to the presidency10. This pattern suggests that legal accountability for Trump's actions has been limited by political factors.

In the current situation, there are indications of some resistance to Trump's actions. CommonWealth Beacon notes that "lawsuits are being filed by brave attorneys general, non-profits, and unions" though the article expresses concern that "the judiciary is compromised"5. The same article mentions people taking "to the streets on Wednesday in dozens of American cities, including Boston"5. However, CNN raises the question "Who is going to stop any of this?" suggesting that the normal checks and balances may be failing to constrain executive overreach13. The article implies that congressional Republicans are not asserting their constitutional role in providing oversight and that the Democratic opposition is struggling to respond effectively to the rapid pace of changes.

International Perceptions and Consequences

The Brookings Institution notes that Trump's failed self-coup in 2020-2021 "will undermine US leadership and democracy worldwide"15. This suggests that the United States' traditional role as a promoter of democratic values globally has been compromised by its own internal democratic challenges. Tax Research UK provides a British perspective on Trump's second term, predicting that his aggressive implementation of tariffs "will, of course, create inflation" and that his isolationist tendencies, including withdrawing funding for Ukraine, "is going to create international chaos from which the USA will suffer"6.

CounterPunch mentions in passing that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is "leading the charge to take back the Panama Canal," suggesting potential international conflicts arising from the Trump administration's foreign policy3. These international dimensions underscore that Trump's actions are not merely domestic matters but have global implications for democracy promotion, economic stability, and geopolitical arrangements. The undermining of democratic norms within the United States potentially weakens democracy advocacy globally and provides cover for authoritarian tendencies in other countries.

Conclusion

The evidence presented in this report demonstrates that Donald Trump has engaged in actions that many experts classify as attempted coups d'état, both during the 2020-2021 post-election period and in his current term beginning in 2025. The first attempt, culminating in the January 6 Capitol attack, has been widely characterized as a "self-coup" or "autogolpe" in which a sitting executive attempted to maintain power unconstitutionally. While this attempt failed, it revealed vulnerabilities in American democratic institutions that are now being exploited in Trump's second term.

The current situation in 2025 represents what some analysts call "a new kind of coup," one that is being implemented through bureaucratic means rather than military force. The unprecedented role of Elon Musk and the implementation of Project 2025 suggest a systematic effort to reconfigure American governance by consolidating power in the executive branch and undermining the traditional civil service. These actions raise profound questions about the future of American democracy and its constitutional order. The responses to these challenges have been limited in effectiveness. Legal efforts to hold Trump accountable for his actions in 2020-2021 ultimately failed to prevent his return to power.

Current resistance through lawsuits and protests faces significant obstacles given the Republican control of all branches of government and the rapid pace of changes being implemented. The implications of these developments extend beyond the United States to the international order. America's role as a promoter of democratic values globally has been compromised by its own internal challenges, potentially creating space for authoritarian alternatives. The classification of Trump's actions as coup attempts is not merely a semantic exercise but a recognition of the gravity of the threat to constitutional governance. Whether American democratic institutions prove resilient enough to withstand these challenges remains to be seen, but the evidence presented here suggests cause for serious concern.

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Tuesday, March 4, 2025