Dear MoveOn member,
Roll up your sleeves, because we have real work to do. Let me explain:
When Donald Trump took the oath of office just over a week ago, he swore to “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States,” only to trample on our Constitution and rule of law minutes later by illegally proclaiming the end of birthright citizenship and issuing “full, complete, and unconditional” pardons for more than 1,500 January 6 insurrectionists, including those who attacked Capitol police with firearms, brass knuckles, batons, flagpoles, and bear spray.1,2
If you look at how dictators have dismantled democracy, this is it.
“I JUST GOT THE NEWS FROM MY LAWYER … I GOT A PARDON BABY! THANK YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP!!!” Jacob Chansley, dubbed the “QAnon Shaman” as a reflection of his horned-animal headdress and body paint that day, posted on X. And then he went on to post that his next plan was to buy guns.3
Terrifying, yes. But that’s Trump’s point. He wants to intimidate us into submission. He wants to drown us in outrage. He wants us to feel hopeless and powerless.
But history shows that early, strategic opposition is crucial to stopping authoritarian overreach. Just last week, the wave of public outrage in response to Trump’s brazen attempt to cut off federal funding for everything from schools to veterans’ care forced him to rescind the order—at least for now.4
And I believe deeply in what we can accomplish when we come together to fight for our values and the common good. We have tremendous power collectively—if we use it.
That’s why I’m writing to you today to ask you to support MoveOn right now. MoveOn has briefed me on their plans for these first critical weeks and months of the Trump presidency. They swung into action immediately after Trump’s funding freeze became public and are acting swiftly and strategically to show Trump and MAGA forces that …
- There will be immediate, highly visible public opposition to attempts to take away our freedoms and enrich Trump’s billionaire friends at our expense.
- Our movement will not be distracted by Trump’s chaos and misdirection.
- We can focus our collective power where we have the most leverage.
It’s just what we need in this moment. Kendall, will you join us in starting a monthly donation to MoveOn to help build a powerful nationwide movement to strategically and effectively challenge Trump’s worst actions and abuses? As a grassroots organization, MoveOn gets the resources and ability to do this work from us.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t feel scared or overwhelmed. Allow yourself some grace.
But do not lose hope. In addition to forcing Trump to rescind the federal funding freeze, we’ve already stopped Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship, which is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. Last week, a Republican judge blocked Trump’s action, saying, “I have been on the bench for over four decades. I can’t remember another case where the question presented is as clear as it is here. This is a blatantly unconstitutional order.”5
And remember, we’ve faced impossible odds before and prevailed. During Trump’s first term, when Republicans also controlled the House and Senate in 2017 and 2018, MoveOn was a critical leader, helping bring millions of us together to block major parts of Trump’s agenda. Together, we did all this:
- Saved the Affordable Care Act
- Forced Trump to end family separation at the border
- Prevented some of his most extreme policies from being implemented
- Stopped Trump from further undermining the U.S. Postal Service and other key democratic institutions through sustained resistance
But, critically, this crucial moment demands more than just hope. It requires concrete actions from millions of Americans joining together with purpose and resolve.
That’s precisely where MoveOn comes in, with its millions of members all across the country. We urgently need MoveOn to help lead the fight to stop Trump’s authoritarian overreach.
Will you join us by starting a monthly donation to MoveOn to power and sustain their critical work?
America was founded in revolt against unaccountable power and wealth. We will not tolerate this barefaced takeover. But we must act together.
Thanks for all you do.
–Robert Reich
Sources:
1. “Federal judge temporarily blocks Trump’s order attempting to end birthright citizenship,” PBS News, January 23, 2025
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/federal-judge-temporarily-blocks-trumps-order-attempting-to-end-birthright-citizenship
2. “Trump grants sweeping pardon of Jan. 6 defendants, including rioters who violently attacked police,” AP News, January 21, 2025
https://apnews.com/article/capitol-jan-6-pardons-trump-justice-department-8ce8b2a8f8cb602d5eaf85ac7b969606
3. “‘QAnon Shaman’ says he’s buying ‘motha f‑‑‑in guns’ after Trump pardon,” The Hill, January 21, 2025
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5097857-jacob-chansley-qanon-shaman-donald-trump-pardon-guns/
4. “Trump White House rescinds freeze on federal grants, reversing course,” The Washington Post, January 29, 2025
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/01/29/white-house-budget-office-spending-freeze/
5. “January 23, 2025,” Letters from an American, January 24, 2025
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/january-23-2025
Want to support MoveOn’s work? Donald Trump and his MAGA allies expect us to give up. But we will not give them what they want. We will never stop working to defend our fundamental freedoms and protect our democracy. MoveOn has been leading the movement against right-wing extremism for 26 years, and we promise you that we will still be here every step of the way forward.
Will you donate to power MoveOn’s work to protect our freedoms and democracy under Trump’s administration?
No, I’m sorry, I can’t make a monthly donation.
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