The warning signs are unmistakable. In just the first 70 days of the second Trump administration, we've witnessed a dizzying array of assaults on the very institutions that support and sustain our democracy. From the dismantling of key government programs at the behest of Elon Musk to the capitulation of major institutions in the face of pressure from Trump, we’re entering into a dangerous new phase of American civic life.

This is the new reality we face: a coordinated effort to consolidate power, silence dissent, and fundamentally alter the relationship between government and the people.

At The American Prospect, we've spent decades examining the intricate relationship between ideas, politics, and power. Today, that mission has never been more vital. Just this weekend, Trump said he was “not joking” about the idea of serving a third presidential term. The American Prospect is built for this moment of holding the powerful accountable and serving you, our readers, when you need us most. However, we need you, too.

While many news organizations have retreated from policy coverage or become beholden to corporate interests, The American Prospect remains singularly focused on the forces shaping American life.

Our investigative reporting has exposed: the plot to destroy the CFPB and how the destruction of key government agencies makes consumers more vulnerable to abuses from corporations; how the richest man in the world’s business interests almost shut down the government; and how democratic capitulation is making Trump’s bulldozing of the federal government easier.

This work isn't easy—and it doesn't come cheap. Our team of reporters and analysts dig deeper than the daily headlines, connecting dots and revealing the larger patterns that explain how power actually works in America.

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Our spring fundraising campaign goal is $50,000. This campaign will directly support our reporting on the threats to democratic governance. Your contribution today will help us track the consolidation of power, expose corruption, and illuminate pathways toward rebuilding democratic institutions.

The playbook of modern authoritarianism relies on limiting what the public knows and flooding the zone with shocking headlines designed to keep you distracted and disengaged. Publications like ours serve as crucial counters to this strategy. When you support this organization, you're not just funding journalism, you're investing in democratic resilience.

David Dayen

Executive Editor, The American Prospect

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