Overview

• David Brooks, a centrist conservative columnist for The New York Times, has called for a comprehensive national civic uprising to oppose what he describes as Trumpism’s threat to American democracy.
• Brooks characterizes Trumpism as a pursuit of power for its own sake, undermining key institutions like the Constitution, legal systems, media, and universities.
• He proposes a multi-pronged strategy inspired by historical nonviolent movements, including lawsuits, mass rallies, strikes, and boycotts, to counter Trump’s influence.
• The op-ed outlines a dual vision: short-term efforts to foil Trump’s actions and long-term goals to address the root causes of societal division and rebuild civic trust.
• Brooks draws on research by Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan, emphasizing the effectiveness of nonviolent resistance in achieving political and societal change.