Mary Trump Issues 'Dangerous Times' Warning Over Donald Trump

Mary Trump Warns of "Dangerous Times" in Trump's Second Term, Urges Democrats to Act

Mary Trump, a psychologist and vocal critic of her uncle, President Donald Trump, issued a stark warning in a new blog post Thursday, declaring the United States is facing “uniquely dangerous times” under Trump's second term. Still, she offered a sliver of hope, insisting that Democrats can forge a path forward—if they are willing to seize it.

Long estranged from the Trump family, Mary Trump has been among the former president’s most persistent critics. In her 2020 bestseller Too Much and Never Enough, she described him as “utterly incapable of leading this country,” and warned that his leadership posed a serious threat to American democracy.

After Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 election—where he won both the popular vote and the Electoral College—he returned to the White House in January. The Republican Party dominated the elections, flipping the Senate and maintaining control of the House. The sweeping defeat prompted intense soul-searching within the Democratic Party, sparking debates about strategy, messaging, and the party’s future direction.

Trump’s return to office has been met with both loyal enthusiasm from his base and aggressive legal challenges from his opponents. His administration is already entangled in multiple lawsuits over a series of controversial executive orders. Critics argue he is eroding civil liberties and violating constitutional limits.

In her recent Substack post, Mary Trump called this moment “a treacherous point in our history,” urging readers to act with more urgency and intention than in the past. “I remain in this fight because it’s necessary,” she wrote, recalling the dread she felt before the 2020 election. Her conclusion about Trump’s second term was blunt: “It will be the end of the American experiment.”

She accused her uncle and the Republican Party of being “hellbent on taking away something extraordinarily precious: our democracy—our imperfect, striving-to-be-more-perfect democracy.”

Mary Trump’s concerns echo those of many Democrats and Trump critics, who argue that the former president’s actions threaten the very foundations of democratic governance. Trump’s defenders, on the other hand, claim he is simply working to make government more efficient and responsive.

In her post, Mary Trump didn’t shy away from criticizing Democrats either. “We haven’t done enough to protect it,” she wrote, arguing that complacency and overconfidence in America’s institutions allowed them to be weakened. “Our institutions are failing us, in part because we assumed they didn’t need to be defended.”

She called on Democrats to “work around the edges” and “plan ahead,” stressing the need for both resistance to Republican overreach and internal reform.

“We all have power,” she emphasized. “We are on the right side of history. Our anger is righteous—and if we channel it together, we can win.”

Following the crushing 2024 loss, Democrats are grappling with internal fractures. Progressive leaders like Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez continue mobilizing opposition to Trump, calling out what they see as the rise of an American oligarchy. Meanwhile, more moderate figures, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have drawn criticism for cooperating with Trump-aligned Republicans on issues like budget reconciliation.

Mary Trump’s earlier book was dismissed outright by Donald Trump, who labeled it “disgraceful” in an interview with then-Fox News host Chris Wallace, saying Mary was “never a family favorite” and had little support or respect among relatives.

The Democratic Party also faces criticism on the cultural front. HBO host Bill Maher recently warned, “If Democratic thought leaders keep acting like America is inherently cringe and the leaders of Gaza are noble, they’re doomed.”

Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) similarly pointed to messaging failures: “The Democrats’ brand is really bad,” he said in February. “We’re losing the cultural conversation, and ideological purity tests are hurting us.”

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg echoed that sentiment on a podcast in April: “We need to stop with the finger-wagging. That’s not how we win people over.”

At a Los Angeles rally, Representative Ocasio-Cortez linked Trump’s rise to systemic corruption: “Big money is how we got Donald Trump—bribery tools, meme coins, extortion deals with media companies. That’s the system he built.”

Looking ahead, the 2026 midterm elections will serve as a key test of Trump’s hold on power and the Democrats’ ability to rebound.

As for 2028, the Democratic presidential field remains uncertain. Early polling shows former Vice President Kamala Harris as a frontrunner, with other potential contenders including Ocasio-Cortez, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Pete Buttigieg.