TACO de Bovino: How Minneapolis and Davos Exposed the Fragility of Trump’s Power
From the icy streets of Minneapolis to the global stage at Davos, the last seven days have revealed that authoritarian consolidation is not inevitable—it is brittle.
This last week marks a turning point in our struggle against the Trump regime. What started with an appalling “Great Rupture” in Davos evolved by the weekend into a second, even more appalling murder of a protester by regime paramilitaries in Minneapolis. But amidst the tragedy and the noise, a critical signal has emerged: Donald Trump backed down. Twice.
Faced with a dual crisis of his own making, the President has seemingly backed off his aggressive stance in Minneapolis, at least for now. It’s a decision influenced by significant conservative pushback. This shift has not only altered the political landscape but also exposed growing rifts within the MAGA base.
Key regime “Pillars of Support“—a concept central to nonviolent resistance theory—are beginning to crack. This past week can be seen as a structural stress test that the regime failed. That failure offers a hopeful sign: the Trump regime is far from invincible.
The Minneapolis Pivot: A Tactical Retreat, Not a Change of Heart
The murder of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and protestor, by regime paramilitaries in Minneapolis was intended to be a show of force—a brutal reminder of the price of dissent. Instead, it became a catalyst for an explosion in opposition, including from some in the President’s own party.
Authoritarian regimes rely on the illusion of total control. When that illusion is shattered by the reality of incompetence and brutality, even loyalists can begin to defect.
In a surprising turn of events, Trump has at least signalled a willingness to de-escalate in Minneapolis. This decision was not driven by moral compunction but by cold political calculus. The backlash was not limited to the usual suspects on the left, either. It came from the very heart of the MAGA movement.
The Internal fracture: Prominent figures in the GOP, including senators, representatives, and at least one governor, have openly criticized Trumps tactics in Minneapolis.
The Media Split: The Pretti murder has split the right wing mediasphere. Some Fox News commentators and hardcore influencers like Tim Pool have begun to argue that the tactics in Minneapolis have backfired, proving ineffective and making the President look “weak” and “pathetic.” Others in the movement continue to support ICE and lament Trump’s change in tactics.
The Political Cost: The withdrawal of Chris Madel, a Republican gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota, citing regime actions as a catalyst, underscores the electoral toxicity of Trump’s paramilitary strategy.
In a strategic move, Trump has replaced Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino with Tom Homan, his so-called “border czar.” Of course, it’s a change that may be merely symbolic or a calculated bluff. Nonetheless, it suggests that external pressures have compelled a shift in strategy, marking a significant moment in the ongoing political saga.
The Davos “Rupture” and the Greenland Walkback
While resistance grew in Minneapolis, the regime was simultaneously fighting—and losing—a battle for legitimacy on the world stage. The “Great Rupture” at Davos, highlighted by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s blistering critique of Trump’s destruction of the rules-based international order, isolated the Trump administration globally.
But the most telling moment came from the Arctic. Following reports of at least one House Republican threatening impeachment over his erratic foreign policy, Trump abruptly backed off his threats to annex Greenland.
Trump demonstrated this week that, as with all bullies, when the cost of aggression becomes too high, the bully backs down.
This retreat has not gone unnoticed by the “true believers.” Hardcore figures like Mike Flynn and Steve Bannon have lambasted the regime for perceived weakness, further widening the rift between the ideological zealots and the political pragmatists within MAGA.
Tactical Analysis: Cracking the Pillars of Support
Why does this matter? Because dictatorships do not fall due to a single blow; they crumble when their pillars of support—party elites, clergy, security sevices, civil servants, and business—withdraw their cooperation.
The events of this week demonstrate that these pillars are not monolithic.
The Security Pillar: The replacement of Bovino suggests that even the enforcement arm of the regime is susceptible to public pressure and operational failure.
The Political Pillar: The criticism from GOP electeds and the withdrawal of a GOP gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota show that the Republican party is not wholly subservient when their own political survival is threatened.
The Information Pillar: The dissent from right-wing media figures indicates that the regime is losing control of the narrative even within its own echo chamber.
While the cracks we’ve seen thus far are not sufficient for victory, they are a necessary and welcome sign that the Trump regime is not invincible.
Resistance Steps: How to Widen the Cracks
We must not mistake this retreat for victory. The regime will likely regroup and attempt to reassert dominance through other means. However, we have been given a playbook on how to force further retreats.
Do Not Normalize: Refuse to accept the replacement of one enforcer (Bovino) with another (Homan) as a solution. The problem is not the personnel; it is Trump’s strategy of hybrid civil warfare.
Amplify the Defections: When a Republican like Chris Madel or Senator John Curtis (Utah) speaks out, amplify it. Not because we agree with their politics, but because their dissent signals to others that it is safe to break ranks.
Maintain the Pressure: The pressure that we are applying--protests, boycotts, filming ICE, and more--are working. The regime reacts to pressure. We must keep applying it. We must apply even more pressure.
The last week saw an escalation of bellicose rhetoric and domestic violence on the part of the Trump regime. But it did not go without response. The world pushed back. The citizens pushed back. And for the first time in a long time, the regime blinked.
Stay vigilant. Keep pushing.
I would like to add a fourth Step. Support Community. Minneapolis is saying it and demonstrating it. They are fighting against the attacks, and they are standing up FOR the community and as community. (As well as for our country) It’s a paradigm shift. We stand up for each other. We’re all in this together.