Anti-establishment Democrats see surrender in party leadership actions

Prominent Democratic lawmakers and strategists are calling for the party to reassess its approach to voters by examining the success of President Donald Trump, even as critics argue that such efforts amount to self-sabotage dressed as pragmatism.

At the recent Hill Nation Summit, Rep. Ro Khanna of California acknowledged what he described as past misjudgments by the Democratic Party.

“We judged voters too harshly,” Khanna said, calling Trump a “political genius” whose appeal Democrats failed to understand.

Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut offered a similar tone, praising elements of Trump’s foreign policy as “practical,” including his controversial repositioning in Syria.

The remarks drew nods from party insiders gathered for the event, who have increasingly advocated studying Trump’s electoral strength to chart a path forward.

Critics of the party establishment, however, view these statements as signs of capitulation.

They argue that the Democratic Party’s embrace of donor-class politics has alienated working-class voters and enabled Trump’s rise.

Khanna said Democrats have been “way too judgmental” of Americans who supported Trump but anti-establishment critics argue that corporate loyalists lost those votes by pretending to oppose the GOP agenda instead of really fighting it.

According to these voices, Trump’s political ascent was less about strategic brilliance and more a consequence of the Democratic Party’s retreat from economic populism and its increasing alignment with corporate interests.

Since 2012, critics point to a staggering wealth transfer from the American middle and working class to the country’s richest citizens.

They blame bipartisan deregulation and corporate-friendly policymaking.

Khanna himself has faced scrutiny for his ties to Silicon Valley donors, even as he publicly decries corporate power.

The party’s foreign policy posture has also drawn criticism.

Himes’ remarks on Syria were singled out by opponents who note that Trump’s moves in the region, including facilitating Turkish aggression against Kurdish forces, were widely condemned by human rights observers.

These decisions, they argue, are now being reframed as pragmatism to justify a shift in the Democratic narrative.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota was praised at the summit for her collaboration with Republican Sen. Ted Cruz on a bill targeting deepfake pornography.

But anti-establishment critics note that while Democrats celebrate such bipartisan efforts, Republicans continue to pursue sweeping structural changes, including proposed cuts to Medicaid exceeding $1 trillion.

In parallel, younger activists have clashed with party leadership.

Gun reform advocate David Hogg, 25, was reportedly sidelined by party officials after suggesting that younger challengers should run against incumbent Democrats in primaries.

Supporters say his proposal threatened a system of seniority and donor reliance that maintains control among aging leadership figures such as Sen. Chuck Schumer and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The internal tensions have also reignited debates about the party’s economic agenda.

Khanna acknowledged during the summit that Democrats lack a “compelling economic vision,” a statement that critics see as confirmation of the party’s overreliance on Wall Street and financial sector interests.

Detractors argue that legislative proposals billed as bipartisan solutions too often reflect priorities shaped in corporate boardrooms, not among ordinary voters.

Longtime Democratic strategist James Devine, recovering from illness, released a statement criticizing what he described as the party’s performance of opposition.

“Pretending to be the loyal opposition is not defending democracy,” Devine wrote. “Only establishment Democrats funded by the same billionaires as Trump could lose so consistently.”

Among the party’s progressive wing, frustration continues to mount.

Advocates point to recent setbacks for reproductive rights, gun control, and climate policy as signs that incrementalism has failed.

They cite increased carbon emissions, rising gun violence, and broad attacks on voting and abortion rights as areas where Democratic majorities have struggled to deliver meaningful change.

Reformers within the party, including Lisa McCormick of New Jersey and New York Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, are pushing a more confrontational populist platform.

They advocate policies such as Medicare for All, wealth taxation, and an uncompromising Green New Deal.

Their campaigns argue that realignment with working-class priorities is the only viable path to rebuilding the Democratic coalition.

McCormick’s organization, DemocratsFor.US, has called on the party to reject corporate contributions, embrace primary challenges to incumbents, and prioritize structural economic reform.

The group characterizes recent praise for Trump’s political strategy as a dangerous signal that Democratic leaders are out of touch with the urgency of the moment.

In a message circulated among supporters, Devine framed the stakes in stark terms.

“Imagine America as a car speeding toward a cliff. The GOP floors the gas but Democrats insist cruise control will save us,” said Devine. "We must slam the brakes, but that's not what the billionaire donors want.”

As party leaders continue to debate lessons from recent political history, critics warn that praising Trump’s tactics while maintaining allegiance to the donor class risks undermining the party’s credibility.

Without a decisive break from its current trajectory, they argue, the Democratic Party may remain trapped in what they describe as a cycle of self-defeat.

Major media outlets are owned by giant corporations, whether they appear to be pro-Trump or anti-Trump, and both Democrats and Republicans continue to primarily serve their corporate donors.