Democracy in the Balance: David Axelrod on Trump, Institutions, and the Road to Renewal
JUDJ-Prepared Summary from May 21, 2025 | Can Our American Democracy Survive Today’s Challenges? The Observations of a Keen Observer. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the speaker.
In a recent America at a Crossroads discussion, David Axelrod, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama and longtime Democratic strategist, offered a wide-ranging reflection on the current threats to American democracy. Drawing on decades of political experience, Axelrod unpacked how Donald Trump’s political rise has eroded democratic norms and institutions, why citizens must remain vigilant, and what it will take to renew faith in the system. His message was clear: democracy is not lost—but it is under sustained assault.
Trump’s Authoritarian Blueprint
Axelrod painted a stark portrait of Donald Trump’s worldview—one he likened to “The Hunger Games,” where the strong take what they want and rules are for suckers. Trump, he said, views institutions and norms not as foundations of democracy but as obstacles to personal gain and power. More concerning, Axelrod warned, is that Trump is modeling his second-term aspirations on the playbook of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who systematically dismantled his country’s democratic infrastructure.
From stacking the courts with loyalists to undermining independent media and weaponizing the Justice Department, Axelrod said Trump is not hiding his agenda. “Project 2025,” a right-wing plan to expand presidential powers and purge the federal workforce, is already in motion—even if Trump occasionally disavows it in public.
Institutions Under Pressure—But Still Standing
Despite the grim outlook, Axelrod emphasized that American democracy still has strongholds. Courts have resisted political interference, attorneys general are pushing back on executive overreach, and civic organizations are fighting to protect voting rights. But none of this, he stressed, can be taken for granted. The 2026 elections and beyond will require a full-throated defense of democratic institutions from citizens, lawmakers, and the press alike.
The task ahead, he said, is not just about opposing Trump, but about demonstrating that democracy—and government—can still work for ordinary people.
Democrats Must Do More Than Sue
Axelrod addressed frustrations many progressives feel about the Democratic Party’s perceived passivity. While acknowledging the value of legal challenges, he argued that lawsuits alone are not a governing strategy. “Democrats need to be in constant communication with their constituents,” he said, particularly on economic issues that impact daily life—tax cuts for the wealthy, health care access, cuts to Medicaid, and more.
He urged Democrats in Congress to clearly and consistently explain how GOP-led policies will hurt working families. As Trump floods the media with chaos and distraction, Axelrod called for message discipline: “Find ways to turn the conversation back to what he doesn’t want to talk about—people’s real lives.”
The Battle Between Despair and Hope
Perhaps most powerfully, Axelrod challenged the notion that the democratic project is doomed. He reminded the audience that American democracy was always a “speculative venture”—a risky experiment in self-government that has survived war, corruption, and division. What it requires now, he said, is neither cynicism nor naïveté, but engagement.
In the face of rapid technological disruption, social media-driven outrage, and widening political polarization, Axelrod warned of a “toxic mismatch” between the pace of change and the slowness of democratic governance. But he also argued that these very crises create an opportunity for reinvention—not just restoration, but renewal.
A Chance to Rebuild
Axelrod ended with cautious optimism. If Democrats can reconnect with disillusioned voters, sharpen their focus, and deliver real results, they can begin to rebuild trust. The best response to authoritarianism, he said, is not just resistance—but performance. If the party that believes in government can prove that government still works, then democracy, though battered, can be made whole again.
“Let’s not just restore what was,” he said. “Let’s build what should be.”
About America at a Crossroads
Since April 2020, America at a Crossroads has produced weekly virtual programs on topics related to the preservation of our democracy, voting rights, freedom of the press, and a wide array of civil rights, including abortion rights, free speech, and free press. America at a Crossroads is a project of Jews United for Democracy & Justice.