Trump Is Weak and Powerless Without His Enablers

If we dismantle the support structure propping up Trump, his entire house of cards will collapse.

Mar 30, 2025

Donald Trump is not the all-powerful strongman he pretends to be. In fact, he is weak and powerless without the people who enable him. Since his re-election and return to the White House in 2025, it’s become clear that Trump’s power comes entirely from those willing to prop him up.

What makes him dangerous is the circle of enablers around him – the craven politicians, the complicit billionaires, the bystanders who do nothing as our democratic norms are torn apart. They are the ones injecting life into his presidency like a life support machine for a patient who can’t survive on his own.

He surrounds himself with obliging politicians who surrender their integrity for his favor, and he’s bankrolled and shielded by wealthy elites who quietly nod along. Without these enablers, Trump would be just an angry old man shouting on a stage to an empty audience, unable to impose his will on our democracy.

MAGA Politicians: Cowardice, Greed, and Clinging to Power

Let’s start with the MAGA-aligned politicians – the senators, representatives, and governors who have decided that clinging to Trump is their ticket to staying in power. These are elected officials who know better. They know when Trump crosses lines that shatter democratic norms or even break the law. Yet out of cowardice or greed, they stand by him. Why? Because they fear his rabid base, covet the campaign money and attention that comes with his endorsement, or simply lack the moral spine to put country over party.

Since 2025 began, we’ve watched these politicians defend the indefensible. When Trump pardoned the rioters who attacked police officers on January 6, effectively forgiving an assault on our Capitol, most of his party said nothing or offered only meek criticism. They know this was a gross abuse of power – a green light to political violence – but their fear of angering Trump’s followers was greater than their duty to the Constitution. Likewise, when Trump filled his cabinet with cronies and conspiracy theorists, these politicians rubber-stamped every nominee.

One senator – a doctor by training – even voted to confirm an outspoken anti-vaccine activist to lead the nation’s health department. He had “serious concerns,” but voted yes anyway, terrified of the backlash if he opposed Trump’s pick. This is what political cowardice looks like up close.

MAGA politicians have embraced hypocrisy as a way of life. They used to call themselves the party of law and order, fiscal responsibility, and national security. Yet now they shrug as Trump tramples the rule of law, ignore his reckless spending or sudden halts on funds they themselves approved, and cheer on his erratic foreign policy outbursts.

Just in the last few months, Trump mused about annexing territories and waging trade wars against our closest allies. Instead of condemning such dangerous fantasies, these politicians smile and nod, insisting everything is fine. Their silence and sycophancy aren’t just weakness – they are active enablement of Trump’s most extreme impulses.

But here’s the truth: without these complicit officials, Trump’s agenda would crumble against the brick wall of checks and balances. If even a handful of them chose principle over Trump, they could block his worst abuses, enforce the laws he tries to break, or even remove him from office. Instead, they have abdicated their constitutional role.

We must hold them accountable. Every politician who puts Trump above their oath needs to know that we see their betrayal. If they won’t stand up to him out of duty, then we must make them face consequences at the ballot box. Their cowardice today will be their downfall tomorrow if Americans unite to vote them out.

Billionaires and CEOs: Bankrolling the Assault on Democracy

Trump’s political cronies aren’t the only ones keeping him afloat. Look at the billionaires, CEOs, and business leaders who bankroll Trump’s movement or stay silent in the face of his anti-democratic behavior. They are just as culpable.

Many of these wealthy elites privately know that Trump’s rantings about “deep state” conspiracies or overturning election results are nonsense. They recognize the danger he poses to American stability. And yet, they either pour money into his campaigns and propaganda networks or bite their tongues, hoping to benefit from his presidency through tax cuts, deregulation, or favorable policies.

In 2025, we’ve seen a tech billionaire insert himself into the very machinery of government as Trump’s ally. This mogul – instead of using his power to defend democratic principles – has effectively been given keys to our federal agencies under the guise of “efficiency.” He and Trump have fired hundreds of thousands of nonpartisan civil servants and dismantled climate and diversity initiatives that protect ordinary Americans. Why? So that businesses (including his own) can profit without pesky oversight or dissenting voices.

This is what happens when billionaires decide their bottom line matters more than our Constitution. Trump alone could not gut these institutions; it took corporate enablers working hand-in-hand with him, behind closed doors and with zero transparency, to make it happen.

Consider the CEOs who watched January 6, 2021, with horror and vowed “never again,” only to quietly resume donating to election-denying politicians a year later. Or the media moguls who continued giving Trump a megaphone because his lies earned them high ratings and ad dollars. Their silence and complicity make them no better than the politicians groveling at Mar-a-Lago.

By choosing profits over patriotism, they empower Trump’s worst behaviors. Every corporate PAC check written to a Trump-aligned candidate, every boardroom decision to ignore Trump’s hateful rhetoric, is an investment in the erosion of our democracy.

It’s time to call out these enablers by name. The next time a CEO tries to polish their brand as “patriotic” while funding authoritarianism, we must expose that hypocrisy. When a billionaire throws money at Trump’s agenda, communities of consumers, employees, and shareholders should rise up to say "not in our name."

Yes, business leaders have influence – but we the people collectively have more. We can refuse to buy from companies that sell out American values. We can organize, protest, and demand that the ultra-rich stop undermining the very system that allowed them to succeed. If they won’t act responsibly on their own, then public pressure and economic consequences must force their hand.

Everyday Americans: From Disillusionment to Empowerment

Where does all of this leave the rest of us – everyday Americans who don’t hold office or billions in the bank? Many citizens have watched this MAGA extremism with growing disillusionment. It’s exhausting and infuriating to see leaders behave so badly and get away with it.

You might feel like your voice doesn’t matter, especially if you’re young, independent, or one of the tens of millions of Americans who sat out the 2024 election. It’s easy to think the system is rigged or that speaking up won’t change anything.

But that kind of despair is exactly what Trump and his enablers count on. They want you to feel powerless. They want you to tune out and stay home, because your silence and absence only make their minority of supporters seem bigger and stronger. The truth is your voice matters – enormously.

Think about the numbers: in 2024, roughly 90 million eligible voters didn’t cast a ballot. Ninety million! That’s a massive force for change just waiting to be unleashed. The everyday Americans who feel ignored actually hold the keys to fixing this mess if we can turn disillusionment into determination.

So if you feel silenced or marginalized by MAGA extremism, know this: you are not alone, and you are not helpless. Your conversations with friends, your posts on social media, your presence at a local protest, and especially your vote – all of it adds up. When ordinary people speak out consistently and collectively, even the loudest bully can be drowned out by the chorus of democracy. We’ve seen glimpses of this already.

Young voters have started to organize for climate action, racial justice, and gun safety, refusing to let their future be dictated by an aging demagogue. Community groups are pushing back against book bans and intimidation in our schools and town halls. Courageous election workers and local officials – everyday heroes – stood up to Trump’s pressure in 2020 and ensured the votes were counted correctly. That same spirit lives in all of us. We just have to tap into it.

Remember that this country’s greatest changes have always come from citizen action. The civil rights movement, women’s suffrage, marriage equality – all were achieved when regular Americans decided they’d had enough of waiting for someone else to do the right thing. Reclaiming our democracy is no different.

It starts with each of us finding the courage to use whatever power we have, wherever we are. And yes, we have power. Students, workers, parents, neighbors – we all have a role. Don’t buy the lie that your only choice is cynicism or surrender. The enablers want a timid public that they can ignore. Instead, let’s be a nation of engaged citizens that they cannot ignore.

Reclaiming Democracy: How We Dismantle Trump’s Grip

Donald Trump’s grip on power is only as strong as the weak links that hold it up. To save our democracy, we must peacefully dismantle the network of enablers that keep Trump’s abuses going.

That means applying social, political, and economic pressure in smart, nonviolent ways. It means holding people accountable in the arenas they care about most – their reputations, their offices, their wallets. We have to show that there are real consequences for undermining our republic.

Here’s how we start taking action now:

- Vote in every election – big or small: The ballot box is where we fire the politicians who sold out our country. Whether it’s a presidential race or a local school board, show up and vote for democracy. If you’re a first-time voter or someone who skipped voting before, commit to making your voice heard. Politicians fear losing elections above all else – prove to them that betraying voters’ trust means the end of their career.

- Hold your representatives accountable: Don’t let your senators or representatives hide behind party loyalty. Call their offices, write letters, attend town halls, and demand answers. Ask them on the record if they support Trump’s attacks on our institutions. If they dodge or double-talk, spread the word. Make sure every voter in your community knows when their leaders choose cowardice over courage.

- Use social pressure and public shaming (peacefully): Enablers hate public scrutiny. Shine a light on their actions. Share factual information on social media about which businesses are funding anti-democratic candidates, and which politicians are undermining our freedoms. Organize peacefully in your community – rallies, petitions, op-eds – naming those who are complicit. When enablers face a united community calling them out, it chips away at their power.

- Vote with your wallet: Money talks. So support companies like the ACLU that stand up for American values and withdraw your support from those that don’t. If a corporation or billionaire is bankrolling authoritarian politics, don’t buy their products or services. Encourage others to do the same. Boycotts and buycotts can work – businesses notice when customers leave over principled stands. By hitting their bottom line, you send a clear message that freedom isn’t for sale.

- Build coalitions for fairness and truth: This fight isn’t left vs. right – it’s democracy vs. extremism. Reach out to neighbors, friends, and family across the political spectrum who still believe in fairness, truth, and the rule of law. Find common ground on protecting our elections and constitutional rights. When we unite moderates, independents, and progressives together as pro-democracy Americans, we vastly outnumber the MAGA extremist fringe. Together we can isolate the enablers and strip away their legitimacy.

- Support watchdogs and whistleblowers: Encourage and protect those on the inside who choose country over Trump. Whistleblowers, honest officials, investigative journalists, and advocacy groups are exposing corruption and holding power to account. Lend them your voice and attention. Share their findings and back efforts to strengthen ethics laws. If enablers know someone is always watching and ready to reveal the truth, they’ll think twice before putting Trump above the law.

Finally, remember the power of hope and persistence. Reclaiming democracy won’t happen in a single news cycle – it’s a continuous effort. There will be setbacks, and those in power will try to wear us down. But every conversation you spark, every vote you cast, every peaceful protest you join is a brick in the foundation of a stronger democracy.

Conclusion: Patriots, It’s Time to Act

Donald Trump is an almost 80-year-old former reality TV host, a convicted felon and someone who cheated on all three wives and who’s been accused of sexual assault by 20+ women. He was even convicted beyond a reasonable doubt by a jury of sexual assault in a criminal trial in New York. He often sounds incoherent and out of touch. He is a man fading in charisma and ideas, increasingly ranting about grievances from the past. On his own, he’s not formidable; he’s pitiable.

What makes him dangerous is the circle of enablers around him – the craven politicians, the complicit billionaires, the bystanders who do nothing as our democratic norms are torn apart. They are the ones injecting life into his presidency like a life support machine for a patient who can’t survive on his own.

If we dismantle the support structure propping up Trump, his entire house of cards will collapse. We don’t have to physically remove him from the Oval Office; we have to remove the pillars that hold him up. That means retiring the politicians who carry his water. It means refusing to enrich the businesses that finance his outrages. And it means everyday people breaking the silence and claiming their stake in this nation’s future.

Trump’s movement likes to wrap itself in the flag and call itself “patriotic,” but real patriotism is about love of country – not love of one man. True patriots defend the Constitution, demand honesty, and insist on liberty and justice for all, not just for their side. It’s time for patriots of every stripe to reclaim our flag from those who would tarnish it with authoritarian rule. Freedom, fairness, and truth are not just talking points; they are the bedrock of the United States. We must fight for them relentlessly, but fight with our voices, our votes, and our unity.

America is still our country, not Trump’s. He serves at the pleasure of the people – and the people are waking up. The everyday American, whether a first-time voter or a retiree, a factory worker or a student, has far more power than any demagogue when we stand together.

So let’s stand together now. Let’s show the world that an entire nation will not be held hostage by the ego of one man and the weakness of those around him. We will reclaim our democracy by stripping power from Trump’s enablers, piece by piece, until there’s nothing left for him to stand on. And when that happens, Donald Trump’s reign will end not with a violent clash, but with the American people firmly, peacefully taking back the reins of their own destiny.

The message is simple and urgent: Trump is weak without his enablers – and we, the people, are strong without Trump. It’s time to prove it. Let’s get to work.

Mitch Jackson, Esq. | links