Courts Push Back, Memorial Day Call to Action & Did Musk Just Retreat? - Resistance Brief for 22 May 2025
Information, insight, and inspiration for resisting tyranny in America
Welcome!
Welcome to The Resistance Sentinel, a publication dedicated to documenting and amplifying the movement to defend democracy against authoritarian rule. Elon Musk’s retreat from political spending, following months of protest, marks a rare and powerful victory for organized pressure. Federal courts pushed back on immigration abuses and regime overreach, while Congress, media, and international leaders signal that opposition is rising across every front. From legislative defiance to protest prep for Memorial Day and a nationwide general strike, the resistance is refusing to be silenced. This is a moment to escalate—not retreat. Join us in turning awareness into action as we work together toward a more just and democratic future.
Resistance Today
Civil Society & Publics
If true, Elon Musk’s announcement that he will reduce political spending following months of protests and backlash highlights a significant retreat for one of the Trump regime’s most powerful corporate enablers. Musk’s withdrawal signals a strategic victory for civil resistance, demonstrating the impact sustained public pressure, economic disruption, and reputational damage can have in fracturing elite support for authoritarian governance. While Musk’s future actions remain unpredictable, this pause offers resistance movements a concrete example of how protest can weaken regime-aligned power centers.
Key Developments
Elon Musk announced at a Doha forum that he will “do a lot less” political spending, reversing course after donating over $250 million to support Trump’s 2024 campaign. (AP News)
Musk’s decision comes after sustained protests at Tesla facilities targeting his role in the Trump regime’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). (AP News)
DOGE, led by Musk, has faced lawsuits and public backlash for dismantling federal agencies and canceling contracts, with Musk admitting the relentless attacks and burned Teslas contributed to his retreat. (AP News)
Musk’s political groups spent $21 million backing a failed Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate in April, despite Trump’s recent win in the state—an electoral rebuke that may have influenced Musk’s decision. (AP News)
Critics warn DOGE’s “savings” are exaggerated and its cuts have gutted services, reinforcing the stakes of resisting technocratic enablers of authoritarianism. (AP News)
Legal & Judicial
A series of court rulings this week mark significant pushback against the Trump regime’s authoritarian immigration policies and unilateral efforts to dismantle independent institutions. These are modest but symbolically important advances for democratic accountability and civil resistance. While judicial action alone cannot dismantle authoritarianism, such rulings can erode regime legitimacy and create openings for broader resistance. However, these openings remain fragile as the Trump regime continues retaliatory prosecutions and attempts to silence dissenters through legal harassment.
Key Developments
A federal judge ruled that Trump lacked legal authority to dismantle the U.S. Institute of Peace, asserting the executive branch cannot unilaterally terminate independent institutions created by Congress. (Washington Post)
An appeals court allowed a ruling to proceed requiring the Trump administration to facilitate the return of a Venezuelan man deported under due process violations, reinforcing judicial oversight of immigration enforcement. (Washington Post)
A federal judge ordered the Trump regime to maintain custody of South Sudanese immigrants in case their deportations are later ruled unlawful, highlighting concern over “third country” expulsion tactics that violate basic legal protections. (Fox News)
Congress & Lawmakers
Democratic lawmakers offered both legislative and rhetorical opposition this week to Trump regime policies, highlighting resistance to authoritarian consolidation in environmental governance, foreign policy, and immigration enforcement. While some measures face long odds under GOP control, these actions provide critical openings for resistance by asserting congressional authority, exposing regime misconduct, and reframing legal persecution of dissenters as politically motivated repression.
Key Developments
House Democrats announced legislation to block the Trump regime from dismantling NOAA, citing deadly consequences of National Weather Service staffing cuts and asserting congressional power to preserve vital public services. (NBC News)
Senate Democrats fiercely criticized Secretary of State Marco Rubio for aiding Trump’s evisceration of U.S. foreign aid and legitimizing authoritarian governments, signaling fractures over regime-aligned diplomacy. (New York Times)
Rep. LaMonica McIver appeared in court on assault charges stemming from her intervention in ICE’s arrest of Newark’s mayor, a case widely seen as retaliation for legislative oversight and opposition to Trump’s immigration agenda. (ABC News)
Media & Tech
The accelerating collapse of press freedom in the United States under the Trump regime mirrors the early stages of media capture in Putin’s Russia, signaling a profound threat to democratic resistance. What begins as subtle pressure on editorial independence—resignations, ownership influence, and selective access—can rapidly evolve into total narrative control. For movements resisting authoritarian rule, this development is critical: media control not only curtails dissent but reshapes public perception, limits transparency, and isolates the resistance from potential allies.
Key Developments
The resignation of 60 Minutes producer Bill Owens and the ouster of CBS News President Wendy McMahon signal rising editorial interference linked to Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit against Paramount, the network’s parent company. (Just Security)
Media billionaires with financial and political ties to Trump—including Shari Redstone, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk—have rolled back fact-checking and investigative reporting on their platforms, echoing Russia's oligarch-press alignment. (Just Security)
Trump has denied Associated Press access to White House press briefings while rewarding fringe loyalist outlets, mimicking Russia’s transformation of the press pool into a propaganda tool. (Just Security)
Trump’s elevation of conspiracy influencers to the press pool and the sidelining of legacy journalists replicates the Russian tactic of manufacturing media diversity to mask authoritarian control. (Just Security)
Journalists are facing increasing legal threats, digital harassment, and editorial censorship, prompting warnings that the U.S. media environment is deteriorating faster than Russia’s did. (Just Security)
International Resistance
Trump’s international influence continues to fracture traditional political alignments and spark both populist surges and anti-authoritarian backlash across democratic allies. This week saw both the growing imprint of MAGA-style politics in Europe and strong symbolic pushback in Canada, reinforcing the global stakes of the Trump regime’s authoritarian consolidation. For democratic resistance, these developments underscore how Trumpism is not confined to the U.S.—it fuels global polarization but also revitalizes counter-movements defending liberal institutions and national sovereignty.
Key Developments
Elections in Romania, Poland, and Portugal showed the growing reach—but also the limits—of Trump-style populism, as MAGA-aligned candidates underperformed or faced stiff liberal opposition despite surging far-right sentiment. (ABC News)
Vice President JD Vance drew criticism after implicitly endorsing Germany’s far-right AfD party during a February speech in Munich, signaling the Trump regime’s willingness to legitimize European extremist movements. (ABC News)
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and King Charles pushed back on Trump’s threats to annex Canada, with Charles set to declare “Canada is not for sale” in an upcoming parliamentary address, reinforcing national sovereignty amid MAGA provocations. (The Independent)
Resistance Tomorrow
Vulnerabilities & Exposures
The Trump regime’s targeted dismantling of the Social Security Administration (SSA) through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) reveals a strategic assault on one of the most vital pillars of the U.S. social safety net, disproportionately harming the elderly, disabled, and poor. By forcing mass staff reductions, undermining civil service protections, and seeking unlawful access to sensitive personal data, the regime is intentionally weakening public trust and functionality in an agency that serves nearly 70 million Americans. This manufactured dysfunction sows fear and instability—hallmarks of authoritarian governance—and underscores the need for organized resistance to protect democratic institutions from deliberate sabotage.
Key Developments
DOGE, led by Elon Musk, has driven cuts to SSA staffing, pushing 3,500 workers into early retirement or buyouts and planning to strip civil service protections from remaining employees. (The Guardian)
Social Security beneficiaries report delays, unexpected payout changes, and fears of data breaches, with many expressing monthly anxiety over whether their checks will arrive. (The Guardian)
The Trump regime is pushing for Supreme Court approval to grant DOGE access to sensitive SSA data, raising privacy concerns and sparking legal resistance. (The Guardian)
The SSA inspector general warned in late 2024 that staffing shortages were leading to record backlogs and over $1 billion in improper payments. (The Guardian)
Trump’s newly confirmed SSA commissioner, a self-described “Doge person,” has backed office closures and internal purges aligned with the regime’s privatization agenda. (The Guardian)
Actions This Week
📞 Call & Pressure Lawmakers
Call your Republican representative on Tuesday, May 20 to help melt GOP phone lines and stop cuts to Medicaid and SNAP.
Call your senators (both Republicans and Democrats) to oppose a pro-crypto bill that enables Trump’s corruption.
👥 Train & Mobilize Others
Join the “Fight Back with Friends” training on May 27 to learn how to activate friends and family in the resistance. Sign up HERE
🪧 Protest Authoritarianism
🪖 May 25 — Memorial Day Protest Against Fascism Join a national protest on Sunday, May 25, to honor soldiers who died fighting fascism. This action reclaims Memorial Day as a time to remember those who stood against tyranny.
📍 Nationwide🔒 June 6–10 — General Strike to Stop Authoritarianism
🚨 Protest suspension of habeas corpus and expansion of Trump’s authoritarian policies.
No work. No silence. No permission needed.
Join or host a “No Kings” protest on June 14 to oppose Trump’s self-serving military parade.
🎙️ Engage with Leaders
Join a “What’s the Plan” call on Thursdays at 3pm ET / 12pm PT to ask questions and hear from co-founders Leah and Ezra on the next steps.
💸 Donate to Expand Resistance Infrastructure
Chip in to fund billboards and organizing against the MAGA reconciliation bill that threatens Medicaid and food assistance.
📚 Explore More Resources
Read the “Stop The Cuts” toolkit for in-depth info and further action options.
Review the 2017 ACA fight strategy for context and inspiration
