Donald Trump is reviving Cold War-era anti-communist rhetoric, warning of a 'communist menace' resurgence in the United States. The president, born during the Cold War, has delivered speeches and published a state department report targeting leftist ideologies.
Trump's Cold War Childhood and Mentorship
Three months before Trump's birth, Winston Churchill's 1946 'iron curtain' speech marked the start of the Cold War. Trump's mentor, Roy Cohn, was chief counsel to Senator Joe McCarthy, who led a 'red scare' witch-hunt. Harvey Klehr, an Emory University professor, noted that communism was considered a major enemy for decades.
Revival of Anti-Communist Language
In a July 3 speech at Mount Rushmore, Trump declared: 'A generation after we fought and won the cold war against the menace of communism, there is now a resurgence of the communist menace in our land.' He vowed to 'vanquish communists quickly' and 'send them into exile.' A state department report titled 'Cuba: the Capital of 21st Century Communism' claimed that a Cuban network has 'infiltrated' the US government.
Democratic Socialists' Recent Successes
The anti-communist push follows wins by Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates, including New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Darializa Avila Chevalier, who ousted Representative Adriano Espaillat. Chevalier faced scrutiny over a deleted Twitter account praising Lenin. Critics like historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat called the rhetoric an 'old playbook' for rightwing crackdowns. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the communist label 'very silly,' noting other countries have better healthcare systems.
DSA's Communist Component
Klehr argued the DSA now includes a 'very significant communist component' after repealing a ban on democratic centralists. He compared it to the entryist infiltration of Britain's Labour Party by the Militant tendency. Bill Galston of Brookings said older Americans are more responsive to the communist threat, viewing it as part of Trump's base mobilization strategy. An Economist/YouGov poll found 18% of voters see communism as a 'major threat,' while 33% say it is 'not a threat.'
Broader Implications
Klehr warned that the trend mirrors far-right infiltration of the Republican Party, raising concerns for democratic health. 'The memory of communism is fading, and yet some of the things they call for, it's like they've forgotten the history,' he said.
