Driving social division
Kleptocrats rule by creating "enemies within" and "enemies abroad." They play with existing social divisions to distract from corruption, consolidate power, and create an "us versus them" mentality that helps them override people's rights. The cultural issues they exploit—such as gender, race, immigration, and religion—are often at the heart of genuine disagreements within society. But kleptocrats are not trying to build coalitions or reach solutions; they aim to polarize.
Some kleptocrats, such as Vladimir Putin, silence their opponents through absolute repression and domination. Often, this process begins with a demonization of opponents—whether a religious minority, migrants, or gendered attacks on women politicians. Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has relentlessly vilified his opponents, as have Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro and Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang.
In the United States, Trump has used cultural conflicts to consolidate his base, vilify opponents, and divert attention from missteps and abuses of power. The strategy is not merely political opportunism—it is a calculated method of governance that mirrors authoritarian tactics used worldwide. By sowing division, Trump creates a polarized environment where facts are contested, opposition is demonized, and political accountability becomes nearly impossible. The United States stands out among wealthy democracies for its degree and persistence of polarization. That polarization predates Trump, of course, but has been exacerbated by his persistent narratives of decline and enemies within.
It is important not to diminish the very real pain caused by driving division. Indeed, it certainly leads to declining trust and can likely lead to discrimination. In its worst manifestation, this tactic can lead to violence.
ACTION 87 | Rewriting history
Kleptocrats rewrite history to erase any evidence of resistance. Controlling the narrative of national identity and history provides a powerful ideological framework that justifies their actions, demonizes opposition, and consolidates power. Along these lines, the administration has ordered the nation's schools to end all DEI programs as well as classroom teaching that the administration might consider discriminatory. On April 24, federal judges ruled that the administration had overstepped and issued a temporary stay preventing the Trump administration from enforcing its threat against schools. Moving beyond the schools, President Trump's EO "Restoring Truth and Sanity in American History" reflects the intent to “retake control of museums, starting with the Smithsonian Institution.” The EO further directs Vice President Vance, who sits on the Smithsonian board, to lead efforts to eliminate content inconsistent with the administration’s vision to “remind Americans of our extraordinary heritage.” (Last updated 2/21/25)
ACTION 88 | Influencing the official record
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is responsible for maintaining official records, including carrying out the Presidential Records Act. On February 7, 2025, Trump fired Colleen Shogan from her role as Archivist of the United States. This is the first and only such firing in history. The agency has reportedly long been a target of Trump, allegedly in retaliation for the Mar-a-Lago documents case. The risk implicit in these actions is that partisan archivists could hide, tamper with, restrict access to, or destroy documents. This would not only have consequences for historical memory, but also for a rule-of-law based system, in which the maintenance of public records and decisions can serve as a form of accountability for elected officials concerned with their historical legacy. (Last updated 3/21/25)
ACTION 89 | Taking control of the nation's premiere cultural institutions
Fights over memory are a common kleptocratic tactic. Poland’s right-wing government made revisionism a core part of its attack on democracy. So too has Putin’s regime in justifying its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As demonstrated in these cases, fights over memory can escalate to the point of using organs of the state to suppress other viewpoints. On February 7, 2025, Trump took the unprecedented step of purging the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts bipartisan board of Biden-appointees. With new members installed, he had himself elected as chair of the organization, the first time a president has taken on this role in the Center's 54-year history. Trump has misrepresented that the Center promoted drag shows for children. Following this takeover, the Center cancelled a week's worth of LGBTQI+ events slated to take place during the World Pride Festival. While some argue that this is petty vengeance for boycotts of first family attendance at the Kennedy Center Honors during his first term, others see something more insidious—namely, ensuring that national narratives reflect his administration’s agenda while downplaying multiculturalism and progressive ideas. Artists have raised similar concerns following announcements that the National Endowment for the Arts should prioritize patriotic art over community-based art. (Last updated 3/21/25)
ACTION 90 | Deploying the Alien Enemies Act
By portraying immigrants and minority groups as existential threats, kleptocrats create a unifying enemy for their base while diverting attention from their own corruption and power grabs. Since his first campaign, Trump has deployed language about immigrants that portrays them as invaders, criminals, and cultural threats. In 2025, the Trump administration used provisions of the Alien Enemies Act, originally enacted in 1798, to justify sweeping immigration bans and expand deportations. A January 20, 2025 EO targets cartels in particular under a broad definition of terrorism. By framing these actions as matters of national security, Trump stokes xenophobic fears and opens the door to broad and arbitrary uses of executive power. The Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration must give migrants accused under the Alien Enemies Act enough time to defend themselves of the charges. More recently, there is fear that such rules could be used to target dissidents and "homegrowns," or US citizens. This is especially important as Attorney General Pam Bondi has attempted to define vandalism at Tesla dealerships as, "nothing short of domestic terrorism." (Last updated 4/28/25)