Gov. Mills Rewarded for Courage as GAO & Europe Fight Back - Resistance Brief for 19 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. As Trump’s regime escalates its assault on rights and institutions, the resistance across America and abroad continues its attempt to slow the slide into tyranny. Governor Janet Mills of Maine is honored for her brave stand defending trans students from federal retaliation. Protests continue hitting Elon Musk’s empire where it hurts. And the GAO just rejected a key DOGE power grab in a bold act of institutional defiance. Finally, international elections reveal both hope and danger as Europe pushes back against the far right. Join us in turning awareness into action as we work together toward a more just and democratic future. But first…
Daily Inspiration
Governor Janet Mills' courageous stand against the Trump regime’s coercive attacks on transgender rights has now been honored with the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award—an inspiring testament to principled resistance in an era of authoritarian overreach. Mills successfully challenged Trump’s retaliatory freeze on school nutrition funding, imposed after Maine refused to enforce his executive order banning trans girls from school sports. Her defiance was not just a legal victory but a moral stand for civil rights, the rule of law, and the most vulnerable. The symbolism of receiving this honor from an organization bearing Robert F. Kennedy’s name—while his son, RFK Jr., serves Trump’s regime—underscores a deeper truth: resistance to tyranny often comes from those who most faithfully uphold the legacies of justice, not those who inherit their names.
Key Developments
Governor Janet Mills is being awarded the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award for suing the USDA after it cut school nutrition funding in retaliation for Maine’s protections for transgender students. (Maine Morning Star)
In her acceptance, Mills affirmed that Americans must defend their principles and the rule of law, saying she was humbled to be recognized by an organization inspired by RFK’s legacy. (Maine Morning Star)
The USDA reversed its funding freeze after a federal court ordered restoration of funds, resulting in a settlement that bars similar retaliation without due process. (Maine Morning Star)
Kerry Kennedy praised Mills and fellow honorees for acting on their convictions “even at great personal risk,” calling the award a beacon for others resisting authoritarianism. (Maine Morning Star)
Mills’ principled opposition stands in stark contrast to RFK Jr., who serves the Trump regime as secretary of Health and Human Services. (Maine Morning Star)
Resistance Today
Civil Society & Publics
Sustained public protests targeting Elon Musk and his alliance with the Trump regime’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are having tangible economic and reputational effects, signaling a potent intersection of economic pressure and symbolic resistance. Demonstrations outside SpaceX and coordinated consumer discontent have coincided with Tesla’s Cybertruck losing its top sales spot, suggesting that strategic protest campaigns linking authoritarian collaboration to commercial brands can generate both market consequences and broader public awareness. This validates research showing that nonviolent resistance can mobilize diverse forms of power—including consumer pressure and mass mobilization—to weaken pillars of support that sustain authoritarian structures.
Key Developments
Tesla’s Cybertruck lost its position as the top-selling electric truck following months of protests against Elon Musk’s involvement in the Trump regime and DOGE, with activists blaming political entanglements for damaging Tesla’s public image. (Latin Times)
Thousands of teachers protested outside SpaceX in Hawthorne over DOGE-linked federal education funding cuts, which impacted over 800,000 California students with disabilities. (Spectrum News 1)
A DOGE-associated cryptocurrency surged 200% amid rumors of Musk’s impending exit from government, reflecting market volatility linked to public and political scrutiny of his role. (The Street)
Bureaucratic & Executive
The Trump regime’s attempt to extend executive control over legislative branch agencies represents a significant escalation in authoritarian consolidation, with serious implications for democratic resistance. By trying to place Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) operatives inside the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Trump and Elon Musk signaled a direct challenge to the constitutional separation of powers. This effort, although ultimately rebuffed, illustrates the regime’s strategic intent to dismantle institutional independence and intimidate oversight mechanisms. As research on civil resistance indicates, such power grabs often provoke backlash when institutions or popular movements resist. GAO's refusal exemplifies a successful act of institutional defiance that can inspire broader resistance.
Key Developments
Elon Musk’s DOGE attempted to install officials within the GAO, claiming it was subject to a presidential executive order, but GAO rejected the effort as unconstitutional. (Democracy Docket)
Representative Gerry Connolly condemned the maneuver as a “direct assault on our nation’s sacred separation of powers,” underscoring DOGE’s threat to congressional independence. (Democracy Docket)
Trump had previously attempted a similar takeover at the Library of Congress, firing the librarian and installing his own appointee from the Justice Department. (Democracy Docket)
GAO staff confirmed they are auditing DOGE’s digital footprint and have launched nearly 40 investigations into Trump’s federal funding freeze, despite lack of cooperation from the regime. (Democracy Docket)
Senate Majority Leader John Thune acknowledged that Trump’s moves caught Congress off guard and stressed the need for inter-branch consultation and protection of legislative prerogatives. (Democracy Docket)
Legal & Judicial
The U.S. Supreme Court’s block on the Trump regime’s use of the Alien Enemies Act marks a significant win for pro-democracy resistance by reinforcing constitutional due process and checking authoritarian legal overreach, but it comes amid simultaneous judicial and executive moves that threaten federal labor protections and institutional norms. The Court's ruling invalidated the Trump regime's attempt to mass-deport Venezuelan migrants without proper notice or hearing, a maneuver that directly bypassed legal standards and echoed tactics of selective group criminalization. However, this legal victory for due process was quickly counterbalanced by a federal appeals court lifting a block on Trump’s executive order to strip union rights from federal workers, and the regime’s appeal to the Supreme Court to authorize mass layoffs and agency restructuring reveals its ongoing strategy to consolidate control by dismantling institutional safeguards. As research on civil resistance shows, such judicial decisions can either undermine or entrench authoritarian rule depending on their cumulative institutional effects and public mobilization responses. So, while the SCOTUS ruling on the Alien Enemies Act is good news, it is by no means the final word on the many ongoing legal battles.
Key Developments
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 against Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan migrants, citing due process violations including inadequate notice and no opportunity to contest removals. (Reuters)
President Trump condemned the ruling as a “bad and dangerous day for America,” signaling intent to continue using executive tools to target vulnerable groups. (Times of India)
A federal appeals court lifted a block on Trump’s executive order to strip federal workers of union rights, enabling the administration to curtail collective bargaining at dozens of agencies. (Washington Post)
The Trump regime petitioned the Supreme Court to reinstate mass layoffs and restructuring of the federal workforce, an effort to weaken administrative resistance and hollow out the civil service. (Reuters)
Media & Tech
The renewed media obsession with Joe Biden’s age, despite the fact that he is no longer President, reflects a troubling pattern of journalistic distortion that diverts attention from the urgent authoritarian threats posed by Donald Trump. A recent Substack column by Wajahat Ali, critiquing Jake Tapper’s new book and the corporate media’s fixation on Biden’s health, underscores how this selective scrutiny enables authoritarian consolidation by ignoring Trump’s own cognitive and verbal incoherence. This pattern is not new, nor is it merely anecdotal. It is backed by research from the Computational Social Science Lab at the University of Pennsylvania, which found that, in early March 2024, The New York Times published nearly three times as many stories about Biden’s age than about Trump’s vow to abandon NATO and encourage Russian aggression. These editorial choices serve to normalize authoritarianism by focusing public discourse on speculative narratives about Biden while marginalizing concrete threats to democracy.
Key Developments
Wajahat Ali criticized corporate media for fixating on Biden’s health while largely ignoring Trump’s increasingly erratic behavior and authoritarian declarations. (The Left Hook)
Ali notes that mainstream outlets “refuse to use the F word—fascism,” instead obsessing over Biden’s hypothetical decline in a second term he is no longer serving. (The Left Hook)
Research from March 2024 at the University of Pennsylvania documented how mainstream outlets like the New York Times published far more stories on Biden’s age than disturbing claims by Trump or Trump's age and health. Such choices contribute to a misinformed public and weaken democratic resistance. (University of Pennsylvania)
International Resistance
Across Europe, the weekend’s “super Sunday” elections marked a tenuous but meaningful advance for democratic resistance to authoritarianism, as pro-EU centrists defeated far-right candidates in Romania and Poland, though Portugal saw the far right surge to historic levels. These results highlight both the resilience and fragility of democratic forces in the face of a rising authoritarian tide. In Romania, voters decisively rejected a Trump-aligned nationalist in favor of a pro-European centrist, while in Poland, the presidential race heads to a runoff amid alarming gains by nationalist and far-right parties. Meanwhile, in Portugal, the far-right Chega party shattered the two-party system with a record vote share, becoming a potential kingmaker in an unstable parliament. Researchers and organizers focused on civil resistance will recognize these elections as critical flashpoints in the larger struggle against democratic backsliding and authoritarian consolidation across the continent.
Key Developments
Romania elected pro-EU centrist Nicusor Dan over Trump-aligned nationalist George Simion, avoiding a hard-right turn and prompting relief across NATO and EU allies. (Reuters)
Polish centrist Rafal Trzaskowski narrowly leads the presidential race, but strong far-right showings mean a June 1 runoff could empower nationalist Karol Nawrocki and stall pro-EU reforms. (Reuters)
Portugal’s far-right Chega party won a record 22.6% of the vote and 58 seats, positioning itself as the possible main opposition and breaking four decades of bipartisan dominance. (CNN)
Brussels and European leaders hailed the results in Romania and Poland as victories for the European project, but warned that continued far-right growth remains a pressing threat. (Reuters)
Resistance Tomorrow
🛑 June 14: Join a “No Kings Day” Protest Near You
As Trump throws a taxpayer-funded military parade in DC, Indivisible is mobilizing over 650 protests nationwide on June 14 to reject authoritarianism, corruption, and rule by decree. This mass mobilization is a critical moment to show lawmakers, courts, and communities that democracy is defended in the streets—by us!
Learn More
📚 Read & Reflect: Don’t Be Gaslit by the Media’s Obsession with Biden’s Age & Health
A March 2024 University of Pennsylvania study confirmed that major outlets like The New York Times disproportionately focused on Biden’s age—at the expense of covering Trump’s actual authoritarian agenda. As the media revives the Biden age narrative, remember: this distortion isn’t new, and it’s not neutral.
🌱 Read & Reflect: Resistance Requires a Vision, Not Just Opposition
To truly counter authoritarianism, we must offer a hopeful alternative—not just protest Trump's cruelty, but build community-driven models of justice, care, and democracy. This piece explores the essential work of articulating a vision of the future we want to win.