Donald Trump may not have even retaken the presidency yet, but he is already employing the same divisive strategy that he has relied on since 2015 to confuse, demoralize, and manipulate his political opponents, warns conservative columnist and national security expert Tom Nichols in The Atlantic. And, Nichols says, it’s more crucial than ever for Democrats and other critics not to fall into his trap.
Nichols, a vocal critic of Trump, explains that the former president has a knack for creating chaos and distraction—deliberately shifting from crisis to scandal to controversy—so that his opponents are left spinning in confusion, unable to focus their energy on any one issue. In the process, they become exhausted and lose momentum, rather than mounting a coherent opposition.
This tactic, Nichols argues, is already in full swing. Trump and his team have spent much of November “baiting and trolling their opponents while throwing red meat to the MAGA base.” Nichols points to a few recent moves—such as Trump appointing tech mogul Elon Musk to lead a non-existent government task force to slash government payrolls and nominating individuals for key positions who are not only unqualified but, in some cases, dangerously so.
“In recent days, Trump has put forward a handful of manifestly unqualified and even dangerous picks, reiterated his grandiose plans for his first days in office, and promised to punish his enemies,” Nichols writes.
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But Nichols urges Democrats, political leaders, and ordinary citizens not to panic or get distracted by every inflammatory tweet or headline. The key, he argues, is to focus on Trump’s core vulnerabilities—chiefly, the preservation of American democracy and national security—and to conserve mental and political energy for the long fight ahead. “If citizens and their representatives react to every moment of trollery over the coming weeks,” Nichols warns, “they will be exhausted by Inauguration Day.”
Moreover, Nichols reminds readers that Trump’s victory was anything but a landslide—he won by a narrow plurality, and his power is not absolute. The path forward for America, Nichols writes, involves resisting Trump’s authoritarian instincts through collective action and adherence to democratic principles. Trump cannot simply “will himself into having dictatorial powers,” Nichols stresses, “if the public and their elected leaders refuse to let him.”
In the meantime, Nichols advises Americans to take a step back and not let the coming weeks of political drama rob them of their peace of mind. “For Thanksgiving, give yourself a break. Remember the great privilege and blessing it is to be an American, and have faith in the American Constitution and the freedoms safeguarded within it,” Nichols writes. And if family members try to rehash old election conspiracy theories around the dinner table, Nichols has a simple piece of advice: “Tell him he’s wrong, that you love him anyway, that you’re not having this conversation today, and to pass the potatoes.”
Ultimately, Nichols concludes, the challenge of resisting Trump’s tactics will be a marathon, not a sprint. Staying focused on the long-term goal of safeguarding democracy is essential—and avoiding the distractions and traps of his baiting and trolling will be key to staying strong throughout the next four years.
