In the political realm, the twentieth century was defined by competition among three major ideologies:  liberalism, Communism, and Nazism/fascism.  In the twenty-first century, the struggle between political liberalism and Communism continues.  That combat has an international dimension in the cold war fought between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the United States, and a domestic dimension in the clash between Communists in the United States and Americans who seek to preserve the country’s ideology, institutions, and identity.

President Donald Trump and senior members of his administration have called attention to this fight.  Trump has stated that America must never become Communist.  Trump’s attention is necessary and reflects the reality that America is in a period of profound ideological upheaval between the traditional American ideology of liberalism and Communism, which the 1917 Bolshevik revolution in Russia unleashed upon the world.

That ideology has been flexing its muscle as evidenced by the actions of Antifa on the streets of Portland or Minneapolis, or in the open embrace of Communism by Democrats like Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York City, members of “the Squad” in Congress, and a slew of candidates who are winning the Democratic nominations for office in advance of the 2026 midterms.  Communism has been present in the Democratic Party for many decades, and the influence of Communists has pulled their party ever leftward.  But that influence was always denied by party officials.  What was once furtive is now open.  And the Communists’ populist message is resonating among not just Democratic voters, but also the greater public, including low-propensity voters who have backed Trump’s populist message.

Trump has drawn a line.  He rightly has stated that American identity is under attack.  Communism is the greatest threat to America, and the enemy of our independence gained on July 4, 1776, and the American way of life practiced for 250 years.  At the same time, Americans cannot be complacent about the threat that Communism poses.  Trump stated that there is a resurgence of ⁠the Communist menace in the U.S., “including from newcomers to our country who embrace ideas totally opposed to our ​way of life and our great success.”  But he, concluded, Americans will not let that happen.  A comparison the two Independence Day celebration speeches that Mamdani gave on July 3, 2026, and Trump did on the same day at Mount Rushmore, captures the conflict and visions for America of the two ideologies.  Mandani’s address sought to destroy American identity by celebrating its replacement.  In contrast, Trump offered a full-throated roar in support of America.  Trump’s embrace of America has been echoed by senior administration officials, notably Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, at a ministerial on political terrorism at the State Department on July 16, 2026.

A pensive consideration of this ideological fight is Heather Cox Richardson’s July 17, 2026, article on her “Letters from an American” Substack blog.  Richardson’s reflections deserve attention because she is an excellent example of a thoughtful and insightful observer of American politics from the moderate political left.  In her Substack post, she notes that Stephen Bannon’s remarks on his Warroom podcast on July 14, 2026, regarding the need to take immediate action to prevent Communists from taking over the U.S. through corrupt elections.  Bannon argued that were the Trump administration to secure U.S. elections through a national security executive order, then Communists would be ejected from American politics.  This is because Communists can win only by cheating in elections and by deceiving Americans about their actual intentions and what they seek to create.

Despite Richardson’s skepticism, Bannon is right.  In my new book, America’s Hundred Years’ War:  How to Win Against Communism, I explain the mechanisms that Communists employ to cause the revolution.  That must be understood to grasp the state of American elections—and many other issues, such as why Democrats are so supportive of mass immigration, without end.  The long war against Communism in the United States and in other countries shows the strategy and tactics they have employed.  Communists are expert at political warfare and know how to unhinge a society.  They know what to target and how to target to execute a Communist revolution.

What to target is defined by the ideology, identity, religion, values, institutions, and civil society of the country.  Communists know that to bring about their revolution, they need to attack American identity and citizenship, political liberalism, Christianity, the institutions that Americans esteem, such as the military and election integrity, and civil society, such as the Boy and Girl Scouts.  By taking sledgehammers blows to the pillars of America, they weaken America and open the door to a Communist replacement.

In the West, how to target is defined by the united front.  The united front is Communist argot for using all means to advance the revolution without revealing Communist involvement.  All means include working with foreign intelligence services, labor unions, front organizations to mask the motivation and intent, labor unions, the ideas industry—K-12 education, universities, law schools, media—immigration, non-governmental organizations, and working from within American institutions to transform them.  In the past, the united front was organized by the Communist International, or Comintern, in Moscow.

Today, it has been largely privatized.  The CCP works hand in glove with individuals and major organizations like ActBlue, Tides, Neville Roy Singham and his many scores of organizations, George and Alexander Soros and their many dozens of organizations, Laurene Powell Jobs Emerson Collective, their associated think tanks, political action committees, law firms, lobbyists, and the Democratic Party itself.

Understanding Communism allows Americans to comprehend the urgency of securing elections—not only because early voting starts in September, but also because Americans are one election away from having the Democrats return to power in Washington through fraudulent elections.  Once they hold power, they will thwart the Trump administration and take actions, from expanding the Supreme Court to abolishing the filibuster, to remain permanently in power.

That is it:  We are one election away from tyranny.

While Richardson is skeptical of these arguments and positions, her analysis opens the door to a necessary discussion Americans must have—before the 2026 midterms—to understand the threat from Communism and proper response to that ideology.  Trump has explained why Communism is evil and anti-American.  The president has explained its importance and urgency.  He has started a discussion about the evils of Communist and the threat it poses to all Americans, but Americans must finish it.  We welcome the debate.

Bradley A. Thayer is an American Freedom Alliance Fellow and the author of America’s Hundred Years’ War:  How to Win Against Communism.