For as much as people like to make grand proclamations about "weakening democracy" or the "onset of fascism," there's no official switch to throw, no bright neon sign to light up and announce a transition from one type of governance to another. But as the Pentagon readies plans for a massive military parade on Trump's birthday next month, consider the historical precedent of authoritarians publicly showcasing their military might and ask yourself what form of government those displays typically accompany — no bright neon sign necessary. 

Rafi Schwartz
The Week Digital

The U.S. Army announced plans this week to hold a large-scale military parade on June 14, set to include thousands of troops and vehicles and ostensibly to celebrate the branch's 250th birthday on Flag Day. But the Pentagon statement announcing the parade plans "did not mention that the president's birthday happened to be the same day," said The New York Times. 

President Donald Trump has "long wanted a military parade," with discussions between the White House and the Pentagon about having the events take place in "conjunction" with one another beginning "less than two months ago," said The Associated Press. The estimated $45 million price tag on Trump's proposed parade would be "worth it," the president said to NBC News. 

Already, a "coalition" of left-leaning groups has more than 100 "No Kings Day" events planned nationwide that same day, said Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. "On one level," Trump's proposed parade is "ridiculous" and "straight out of the authoritarian playbook," organizer and Indivisible Co-Executive Director Ezra Levin said to Maddow. The "No Kings" protest is designed to show that Trump "does not own the flag. He does not own patriotism."

The Trump administration "stayed the legal course charted by the Biden administration" this week when it asked a district judge in Texas to toss a lawsuit from a trio of GOP-led states seeking to limit telehealth access to the widely used abortion drug mifepristone, said The Associated Press. The administration's move is "striking" given the degree to which the Trump White House has "forcefully opposed abortion rights" but crucially "makes no mention of the merits of the case" by focusing instead on what it claims is the plaintiff's lack of standing to bring the suit, said The New York Times. 

Surprising as it may be for the Trump administration to follow in its predecessor's footsteps, particularly on abortion access, the White House's request follows an "emerging pattern" under Trump, said Politico: an "effort to preserve executive power" by "preventing courts from second-guessing agency decisions."

The odds of Trump's controversial nominee to serve as the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., being confirmed are "rapidly diminishing," said CNN. That's thanks to "public pushback from key Republicans," including Sen. Thom Tillis (N.C.), who sits on the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee. Tillis has cited nominee Ed Martin's comments "denigrating police officers" who served during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot as raising "serious questions" about Martin's fitness for the position. Martin also had "no prosecutorial experience" before Trump named him interim attorney for the district he's now nominated to officially lead, said NBC News. 

Tillis' defection from the White House's nomination is a "potentially fatal blow" to Martin's "already dicey confirmation chances," said Politico. The administration, however, has shown "no signs of backing away" from its nominee, with Martin's "interim" status set to expire later this month, said Axios.

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