How Progressive Organizations Can Fight Back Against Trump’s Agenda

Trump, Elon, and their allies are intentionally trying to overwhelm progressives with rapid-fire changes. The speed and the cruelty are purposeful to make those who would resist fascist efforts not know where to turn. 

In times like these, it's easy to feel powerless and lose hope. But with the correct approach, left-leaning groups can simultaneously resist and still advance our collective mission. 

Here are 3 simple strategies to help your organization maintain a positive impact while adapting to a conservative administration.

1. Stay Focused in Fast-Moving Times

With so many issues demanding attention, overwhelm can hit fast. Even if your organization already focuses on a specific issue, like combatting climate change, consider breaking it down further into “must respond,” “maybe respond,” and “don’t respond” topics.

Set clear boundaries around how often you'll do deep research into political and legal changes. This prevents burnout and ensures you can give important issues the attention they deserve.

Remember that first reports of political or policy changes often miss important details. Take time to let the story develop before responding. This approach can feel counterintuitive in a crisis, but it helps mitigate the spread of incomplete or incorrect information and allows you to develop more informed responses.

No matter how passionate or hard-working you are, you only have 24 hours a day — just like the rest of us. By focusing your response, you can ensure your efforts have the most impact and avoid spreading yourself thin to the point of ineffectiveness.

2. Create Lasting Resources That Matter

One of the simplest ways to increase your impact is by developing evergreen materials — content that stays relevant over time. These resources can be shared more than once across your social media, email campaigns, and other outreach, organizing, and marketing materials.

This strategy has been leveraged consistently since Trump’s inauguration, from “Know Your Rights” explainers in response to ICE raids, to history explainers that combat misinformation about the trans community. 

When creating evergreen content, make sure it’s accessible. Use clear, straightforward language that the average middle schooler could understand. Consider offering critical resources in multiple languages to reach more communities. While you should review these materials before each use to ensure they're still accurate, having an outline saves valuable time compared to creating new content from scratch.

3. Build Strong Partnerships

Strong partnerships help everyone do more with limited resources. Different groups can focus on their strengths while supporting each other's work, creating a more streamlined approach. Having trusted partners also provides a valuable sounding board to validate emotional responses and strategic planning. 

Progressives are good at this. Environmental activists are increasingly embracing the YIMBY movement, gun violence prevention groups help boost youth voter registration, and racial justice groups have a long history of supporting abolition efforts. 

By working together, organizations reach more individuals and communities than they typically would alone.

Moving Forward Together

Remember that steady, strategic action is usually more impactful than trying to respond to every new development. What matters most is staying true to your organization's core values while improving sustainability and effectiveness. 

By working together and using resources wisely, progressive organizations can continue making meaningful changes on the issues that matter most to their communities and reduce some of the harm being done by the heartless policies of the Trump administration. 

Regularly check in with your team and partners to evolve these strategies as needed. What works today might need adjustment tomorrow, and that's okay. 

Social movements are built by humans, not machines. Sometimes the most radical act of resistance is taking care of yourself, setting boundaries, and recognizing that long-term impact matters more than short-term intensity.

Looking for more extensive guidance on how to fight back against Trump’s dystopian agenda? Book a FREE 15 minute consultation with our team!