W. Aaron Vandiver Links Trump to American Empire's Hidden Truths
In an essay for Front Porch Republic, W. Aaron Vandiver of Carbondale, Colorado, argues that Donald Trump forces America to confront its self-deceptions about democracy. Vandiver contends the U.S. is not a democracy but an oligarchic, militaristic global empire born from the post-WWII military-industrial complex. He cites U.S. overthrows of foreign leaders—Patrice Lumumba in the Congo, Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala, Salvador Allende in Chile—and the 1953 Iran coup as seeds of current conflicts. Vandiver invokes the Greek Furies as symbols of vengeance for national sins like murder, greed, and war, referencing Trump's "Epic Fury" name for the Iran war. He lists recommended readings by Nicholas Buccola, Quinn Slobodian, Laura K. Field, Wolfgang Streeck, Catherine Liu, Kei Hiruta, Wes Jackson, and Herman Daly. The essay appears on Naked Capitalism on Memorial Day 2026.
Key facts
- Essay by W. Aaron Vandiver published on Front Porch Republic.
- Vandiver lives in Carbondale, Colorado.
- Trump is described as a result, not a cause, of America's problems.
- U.S. is characterized as an oligarchic, militaristic global empire.
- Mentions U.S. overthrows of Lumumba, Arbenz, Allende, and the 1953 Iran coup.
- References Trump's 'Epic Fury' name for the Iran war.
- Recommends books by Buccola, Slobodian, Field, Streeck, Liu, Hiruta, Jackson, Daly.
- Published on Naked Capitalism on Memorial Day 2026.
Entities
Institutions
- Front Porch Republic
- Naked Capitalism
- The Land Institute
Locations
- Carbondale
- Colorado
- United States
- Congo
- Guatemala
- Chile
- Iran