Two former Democratic members of Congress have warned that the United States is in the middle of a rolling coup that threatens democracy.
Richard Gephardt and Timothy Wirth published the warning on June 22. They described a series of actions over the past nine months that they say are dismantling institutional checks.
The former officials pointed to a national presidential security memorandum signed on September 25, 2025. It directs federal agencies to target groups labeled anti-American or hostile to traditional views.
They also cited a September 30, 2025 speech at Marine Base Quantico. In it the president described domestic enemies and suggested cities as training grounds for troops.
Additional measures mentioned include new counterterrorism strategies released in May 2026. These name left-wing extremists as principal threats and allocate funds for expanded detention facilities.
