Is this a coup?

While the U.S. is not experiencing a violent military coup, the evidence points to a bureaucratic and financial coup orchestrated by Musk and Trump. By seizing control of critical government functions, defying judicial and congressional authority, and dismantling institutional safeguards, they are consolidating power in ways that subvert democratic norms. As legal scholar Michael Gerhardt noted, "This is perhaps the first time ever someone from outside the government has been so openly given free rein within" . Whether this constitutes a coup depends on definitions, but the erosion of checks and balances aligns with patterns observed in authoritarian regimes globally .

The situation remains fluid, with court challenges and public resistance ongoing, but the lack of robust congressional pushback—particularly from Republicans—enables this unprecedented power grab