Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, issued an eerie warning on Tuesday. He asserted that the United States is amid a 鈥渟econd American Revolution,鈥 which he claimed would remain bloodless only if the left refrains from resistance. The statement has intensified concerns over the potential for political violence and the future of America under a second Donald Trump regime.
鈥淲e are in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be,鈥 Roberts said in an interview.
He criticized the left鈥檚 influence on American institutions, stating, 鈥淭he reason that they are apoplectic right now 鈥 the reason that so many anchors on MSNBC, for example, are losing their minds daily is because our side is winning.鈥
Roberts鈥 comments are of little surprise considering the Heritage Foundation鈥檚 plan for a Trump return that includes Project 2025, a detailed agenda that threatens reproductive freedoms nationwide, banning abortion with or without Congressional approval, slashing Social Security, conducting mass deportations, building migrant detention camps, weaponizing the Department of Justice to retaliate against Trump鈥檚 political opponents, and providing substantial benefits to the ultra-wealthy at the expense of working families. The Heritage Foundation is the primary organizer of this initiative.
A second term for Trump could dramatically reshape the political landscape, especially following a recent Supreme Court decision that grants the president significant immunity from prosecution of the most heinous crimes. The high court鈥檚 decision would allow Trump to exercise power more freely than during his first term, raising alarms among critics about his authoritarian tendencies.
Trump鈥檚 return to office would also occur against a global shift towards right-wing politics, with similar trends in countries like France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. The international alignment could bolster Trump鈥檚 controversial stances on immigration, Russia, and democratic governance.
The fragmented media landscape further complicates efforts to hold Trump accountable. Traditional media outlets have seen their audiences diminish, and initiatives to combat misinformation on social media have weakened, potentially allowing Trump to evade scrutiny more effectively. The 34-times-convicted felon, whom separate juries found responsible for sexually assaulting a woman and a judge found liable for nearly $500 million in massive fraud, has also called for a dictatorship-like state-run media.
Trump recently intensified his threats against political opponents, promoting posts on his social media platform Truth Social that called for the prosecution of several high-profile politicians, including President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Sens. Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer, and former Vice President Mike Pence. One post accused former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of 鈥渢reason鈥 and advocated for 鈥渢elevised military tribunals,鈥 a type of military court typically reserved for enemy combatants and war criminals.
In response, Biden-Harris 2024 spokesperson James Singer condemned Trump鈥檚 rhetoric, stating: 鈥248 years ago, America declared independence from a tyrannical king, and now Donald Trump and his allies want to make him one at our expense. On January 6, they proudly stormed our Capitol to overturn an election Donald Trump lost fair and square 鈥 something not even the Confederacy was able to accomplish.鈥
Singer said that U.S. voters do not want another four years of Trump.
鈥淎mericans do not want Donald Trump, a liar, fraud, and convicted criminal who has said he wants to be a dictator on 鈥榙ay one,鈥 鈥榯erminate鈥 our Constitution, rip away our rights, and is only out for himself as President of the United States. Joe Biden rejects Donald Trump鈥檚 revenge, resentment, and retribution,鈥 said Singer.
鈥淟ike the rest of America, Joe Biden embraces freedom and democracy, our shared values of honesty, decency, dignity, and equality,鈥 Singer continued. 鈥淩espect for one another, giving everyone a fair shot, and giving hate no safe harbor is what unites us in the future we will build together.鈥