Is America’s Democracy Mirroring China’s Authoritarianism? A Startling Perspective
In a world where political landscapes are shifting, a startling observation emerges: Trump’s America feels eerily familiar to those who’ve lived under China’s authoritarian regime. But here’s where it gets controversial—is the land of the free subtly adopting practices once thought exclusive to one-party rule? Let’s dive into this thought-provoking narrative.
Imagine standing on a comedy stage in New York, not just pondering your next joke, but also calculating which topics might land you in hot water. Meet Vickie Wang, a 39-year-old comedian who spent nearly a decade in Shanghai before moving to the U.S. in 2025. Wang’s experience highlights a growing unease: self-censorship. ‘I don’t criticize the administration directly,’ she admits. If she does, it’s never for the public record. ‘It’s a learned behavior from China,’ she explains. Her words echo a chilling reality—the lines between free speech and caution are blurring, even in the heart of American democracy.
Wang’s journey is emblematic of a broader trend. After relocating, she indulged in what she calls ‘revenge bingeing on democracy,’ attending protests, lectures, and immersing herself in New York’s public libraries. But since Donald Trump’s second term began, she’s noticed a ‘palpable change.’ ‘In China, I knew where the line was,’ she says. ‘In the U.S., I’m standing on shifting sands.’ Her fears aren’t isolated. Many who’ve experienced China’s political climate see unsettling parallels in Trump’s America: ostracized enemies, demands for absolute loyalty, targeted journalists, and attacks on institutions.
And this is the part most people miss—Trump’s admiration for Xi Jinping, China’s strongman leader, is no secret. He’s called Xi a ‘great guy,’ and their recent trade truce showcased a surprising camaraderie between leaders of opposing political systems. For decades, the U.S. hoped closer ties with China would foster liberalization. Instead, under Trump 2.0, it seems America is drifting toward China’s model, not the other way around.
Zhang Qianfan, a constitutional law professor at Peking University, puts it bluntly: ‘The United States is undergoing a period of cultural revolution.’ He compares Trump’s efforts to mobilize grassroots support against the elite to China’s Cultural Revolution half a century ago. Since Trump launched the Department for Government Efficiency (Doge) to overhaul Washington’s bureaucracy, many in China have viewed U.S. politics through this revolutionary lens. While the violence of Mao’s era is absent, the chaos and purges feel eerily familiar.
But as the initial upheaval of Trump’s administration has settled, a new political atmosphere has emerged—one that, in different ways, also resonates with Chinese observers. The most striking similarity? The crackdown on free speech.
Take Deng Haiyan, a former police officer turned CCP critic who fled China for the U.S. in 2019. This year, after the death of a prominent figure, Deng tweeted a negative comment, only to face a backlash reminiscent of his experiences in China. His family was doxed, and he was accused of being a Chinese spy. ‘I never imagined this could happen in the United States,’ he said. ‘This is something you’d expect in an authoritarian country.’
While Deng’s ordeal was driven by social media users, not the state, the culture of surveillance and retaliation mirrors China’s. Maria Repnikova, an associate professor at Georgia State University, notes, ‘The targeting of dissenters and surveillance of sensitive public speech is emerging here, just as it does in China.’ Even fears of students reporting teachers—a tactic encouraged by the CCP—are now surfacing in the U.S.
For Chinese intellectuals like Zhang, America’s allure as a beacon of democracy is fading. ‘America is no longer a god for Chinese liberals,’ he says. ‘The lighthouse has become dimmer.’ Ironically, some Chinese liberals now find America’s political system more objectionable than China’s, especially post-pandemic, as China invests in environmental improvements and high-tech industries while the U.S. appears to decline.
Trump’s administration has further blurred lines between government and private industry, a hallmark of China’s economy. The U.S. government’s recent acquisition of stakes in companies deemed vital to national security has investors worried about increased state interference. Yet, differences remain. U.S. courts have blocked many of Trump’s actions, a scenario unthinkable in China’s CCP-controlled judiciary. As Isaac Stone Fish, founder of Strategy Risks, points out, ‘Even in its worst crisis, the U.S. remains freer and more open than China under Xi.’
Still, the parallels are unsettling. A U.S. professor who once spoke out on U.S.-China issues now refuses interviews, fearing censorship. ‘I’m more afraid to criticize Trump than Xi,’ he admits. This shift raises a provocative question: Is America’s democracy evolving, or devolving, into something unrecognizable?
What do you think? Are the comparisons between Trump’s America and China’s authoritarianism valid, or overblown? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s spark a debate!
