With national sentiments running high, hate-crime increasing, a deep polarization within the people and the government, conspiracy theories and fake media mobilizing the population, and a global pandemic causing economic, political, and social turmoil, fascism is sneaking its way into the forefront of U.S. politics on a much larger scale than ever before. How did neofascist movements rise in the United States and why are they gaining momentum? To explore this question, I use a theoretical framework to illustrate the ways in which fascism first emerged in Europe during the late 1920s and early 1930s in order to explain the 21st century rise of neofascism in the United States and why these movements are continuing to grow.
Through a comparative analysis between the fascism of the past and the neofascism of the present, this paper will dissect the conditions that facilitate the rise of fascism and those that further its continuation. Moreover, I will investigate the advancement of neofascist movements of the 21st century, such as the Neo-Nazis and the Alt-Right groups in light of the Trump Presidency. I argue that the foundations that enabled fascism to rise in the early 1920s and 1930s are similar to the circumstances today but within a different contextual framework due to the changing material conditions. Additionally, I argue that Donald Trump has exceedingly furthered the growth of neofascism in the United States and continues to do so today. However, my main objective is to inform the audience on the frightening dangers of fascism as we head towards the 2024 presidential election and beyond.