Donald Trump and the Weimar Crisis: How Close Are We?

Witnessing army tanks roll down Constitution Avenue? Fearing that ICE agents will arrest you without warning despite holding a legal status? Questioning whether we still live under a democracy? You are not alone.

One common debate in recent days is “has President Donald Trump gone too far in executing his presidential power”? Or to say, is it legit to compare today’s United States to the Weimar Republic in 1933?

What is the “Weimar Crisis”?

The first-ever attempt of a democratic German Republic, the Weimar Republic, rapidly crumbled into ashes in 1933 after Adolf Hitler was appointed Prime Minister. Many would argue that the “Führer” was democratically elected to his position “by the people”. This statement, however, is not necessarily true. 

Five elements, internal and external, can help indicate the level of overwhelming hardship concerning the Weimar Republic.

1. Historical Background

   
   

In 1933, the Weimar Republic was hit hard by the Great Depression. Unemployment kept reaching new highs while the government struggled to pass any relief due to political gridlock.

At the same time, the Treaty of Versailles and its later variants imposed a heavy financial burden on an already desperate German economy, while also fueling public resentment.

2. Political Polarization

   
   

In addition to the long-term trouble in the 1930s, the rising Nazi Party (NSDAP) was redefining the limit of “far right” by pushing it much further than anyone could have anticipated. The Nazi Party was an understudy of Benito Mussolini, but it was a more effective organization than its teacher.

By 1933, the Weimar parliament was almost completely dominated by the German Communist Party and the NSDAP. Neither party left space for any compromises on policy. Yet, both parties also openly advocated for the same end: the dismantling of the existing German democracy.

3. Political Radicalization

   
   

Between 1930 and 1933, Germany witnessed frequent elections due to an unstable government and a high tide of political violence. Paramilitary groups from both the left and right wings frequently clashed, often leading to high-profile political cases that further divided society.

4. Presidential Overreach

   
   

One difficulty concerning every young democracy is how to maintain the separation of powers. The outcomes tend to steer toward the presidential power growing especially fast.

The Weimar Constitution created a parliamentary system. But after Paul von Hindenburg was elected the head of state, he rapidly expanded his presidential role and influence. Hindenburg continued his expansion of the powers into the executive role while making the German Parliament increasingly a figurehead.

5. Reduced Power of the Courts

   
   

The court is the last defensive line against attempts to invalidate democracy. However, in several crucial cases, the Weimar Supreme Court gave ground without real fights. When Minister President Otto Braun sued the state for violating federalism by taking direct control of the Prussian provincial government, and while the prime minister’s authority to bypass the parliament with emergency acts was challenged, the court either delayed the ruling or ruled in favor of the perpetrators.

Weimar Summary

These five elements demonstrate to us that the Weimar Republic, which “elected” Hitler, was not a fully democratic one. From a procedural sense, if we look at the state structure of the Weimar Republic in 1933, her “democratic” character had already shrunk significantly, if not lost completely.

Meanwhile, from a substantive sense, the “people” that are required by the democratic structure to operate had also shrunk. Saying that Hitler’s victory in state leadership was “people’s willingness” is equal to claiming with total confidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction in 2003. In fact, choosing Hitler was simply the regime's last desperate breath before acknowledging its own death.  

The so-called “Weimar Crisis” constituted a crisis of democracy, where an opportunist political strongman preyed on the loss of confidence in the public toward democracy’s ability to sustain a better future. Therefore, with various sources of information claiming that President Trump has gone “too far”, we must ask, “Is the United States having its own ‘Weimar Crisis’ right now”?

So Now, How Close is the United States?

1. Historical Background

   
   

It is fair to say that COVID-19, the memory of the 2008 Financial Crisis, the immigration crisis, and the national debt crisis are the “Sword of Damocles” of our generation, which hangs above our heads and may drop and kill us at any second. But do any of these constitute a crisis as serious as the Great Depression? That question is difficult to determine.

Although the “seeds” have been sown toward strong grievance, one can still argue that it is more of a “perception issue”, and that nothing today is yet comparable to the Great Depression, or even the 1997 Asian Financial Tsunami.

2. Political Polarization & Radicalization

Minnesota lawmakers have been assassinated, while a Virginia councilmember was set on fire in broad daylight. Not to mention the seemingly non-stopping protests and riots: Black Lives Matter, Free Palestine, No Kings, occurring in every major city, while neo-Nazis openly march across downtown Richmond.

The level of political violence in this country has reached a critical level, reflecting a dangerously high political polarization and radicalization.

3. Presidential Overreach

Trump can carry out most of his efforts due to the current political makeup. Republicans hold a majority of the legislative branch with the House and Senate, the judiciary has a strong conservative backing in the Supreme Court, and the executive has a Republican president.

To be fair, he won the majority government with the popular vote. No matter how unsatisfying to many, the process was legitimate. Indeed, Trump pushed every one of his authorities to the limit, but that’s the promise he made to the American public during his 2024 election campaign.

Did he actually break any limits set by the Constitution? Besides the controversial 34 felony charges that he calls “a witch hunt”, there is nothing sufficient enough to build a case.

4. Reduced Power of The Courts

The Supreme Court has surrendered on the constitutional case of whether Trump can fire federal employees on a large scale and granted him a green light to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder. More importantly, the court has ruled to limit the authority of district judges, creating a significant blow to the power and jurisdiction of the judiciary. 

However, the court still has its space. It ruled that the citizen mistakenly sent to El Salvador must be returned, is still holding on to the rules of the budget freeze for colleges, and the decisive case of whether children of undocumented immigrants born on U.S. soil should be citizens.

While these cases remain undecided, we can still trust the chance of the Supreme Court to do the right thing. Or to say, “the Supreme Court just ruled that the Supreme Court rules”.

America’s Democracy: Upheld by the Court

When comparing current developments in the U.S. to those of the Weimar Republic in 1933, it is difficult not to see certain similarities. However, as with any democracy with true substance,  the final say is currently with the court.

If the court stands its ground and holds on to the legal boundary, and Trump does voluntarily step down after finishing his term in 2028, the future history books will simply call these four years an interesting time. But if this process goes wrong, the same book would have to write Donald Trump’s name next to the caption: “America’s Orban”.