‘There May Not Be Any Institutions Left to Rebuild – the Democrats Need to Project Confidence and Keep Fighting’

Alexandra Hall Hall speaks to former Obama and Clinton staffer Tom Malinowski about why the Democrats and those outside of Washington are reluctant to push back against the Trump administration

While the second Trump administration has been busy dismantling the US system of checks and balances at home, and undermining the international rules-based order abroad, many have been wondering why the official opposition, the Democratic Party, has not been offering more robust resistance.

For weeks, a battle has been raging within the party, largely behind the scenes, over how best to handle this moment.

Some members want the party to take more forceful action now, given the gravity of the political crisis. Others argue for letting Donald Trump’s decisions play out, and then capitalising on the chaos that his policies are causing, to win back voter support in time for the midterm elections in 2026.