Skip to content

Timothy Snyder warns of 'The Next Coup Attempt' and how to stop it

politicsApr 4, 2026137

Historian Timothy Snyder published a Substack essay called "The Next Coup Attempt" that maps how a coup in the United States would unfold. He details scenarios including legal manipulation, military pressure, and disinformation campaigns, and recommends concrete steps citizens, officials, and journalists should take to stop them. Snyder urges public vigilance, organized protests, institutional refusal to carry out illegal orders, and legal accountability for leaders WHO violate democratic norms. The essay matters because it turns abstract democratic risks into specific actions people and institutions can use to defend elections and the rule of law.

Key Highlights

Timothy Snyder published "The Next Coup Attempt" outlining US coup scenarios.
He warns about legal manipulation, military pressure, and disinformation campaigns.
He urges citizens and institutions to refuse illegal orders and mobilize.
2 sources