A scathing op-ed in The Atlantic suggests Donald Trump may be running out of time to establish a full-blown authoritarian regime before his base deserts him.

Staff Writer David Frum, a former speechwriter for George W. Bush, described Trump as “a man trying to race upward on a downward-moving escalator” as he tries “to consolidate authoritarian power against the trend of declining public support.”

Related

Charlie Kirk’s memorial proves the GOP is all in on Christian nationalism

Frum explained that authoritarian regimes can only work if enough others are willing to cooperate, and that the political opportunists surrounding the president currently have to ask themselves, “Do the present benefits of submitting to Trump’s will outweigh the future hazards?”

Most prominently, he said, Attorney General Pam Bondi must decide daily if she should abuse her powers to prosecute Trump’s enemies, as he recently asked her to do in a public post on Truth Social. If Trump maintains power, doing what he says could earn her money and power. If he doesn’t, she could end up in jail.

Insights for the LGBTQ+ community

Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

“Trump’s hold on power is indeed loosening,” Frum explained. “His standing with the voting public is quickly deteriorating. Grocery prices jumped in August 2025 at the fastest speed since the peak of the post-pandemic inflation in 2022. Job growth has stalled to practically zero.”

“Almost two-thirds of Americans disapprove of higher tariffs, Trump’s signature economic move. His administration’s attack on vaccines for young children is even more unpopular. This year has brought the highest number of measles cases since the Clinton administration introduced free universal vaccination for young children in 1993. Parents may be rightly shocked and angry.”

Frum referenced a September poll that showed only half of Republicans believe the country is headed in the right direction, a massive drop from 70% just this past June. For Republicans under 45, only about a quarter believe the country is headed down the right path.

He also mentioned a poll that found more than 60% of Americans think the administration is cover up information about the Jeffrey Epstein case, with almost 60% also finding Bondi personally responsible.

“Trump has a shrewd instinct for survival,” Frum wrote. “He must sense that if he does not act now to prevent free and fair elections in 2026, he will lose much of his power—and all of his impunity. That’s why he is squeezing Bondi. But for her, the thought process must be very different. Trump is hoping to offload culpability for his misconduct onto her. She’s the one most directly at risk if she gives orders later shown to be unethical or illegal.”

He emphasized that American liberty may hinge on whether Bondi chooses to risk her career and/or her personal freedom “for a president on his way to repudiation unless he can fully pervert the U.S. legal system and the 2026 elections.”

Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.