RE: fascism - I agree with Thepowaofhax here. What separates fascism from right-wing authoritarianism, what separates the Hitlers and Mussolinis from the Trumps of the world, are those key characteristics in Griffin's theory of fascism. Fascism and Trump are certainly comparable, but fascism is a specific form of right-wing authoritarianism that heavily emphasizes revolutionizing the political order, an organic nation or people, ideologically oriented against capitalism and socialism, and palingenetic ultranationalism - in other words a "mythic" ultranationalism. Trump isn't the most liberal democrat but I wouldn't consider him contemptous of democracy, he talks up the American people but not in a way that describes them as an organic "Volk", he obviously has some disagreements with socialism and capitalism but he's not fundamentally opposed to either as enemies, and while he's nationalist he doesn't advocate for a return to a "golden period" or invoke a national myth.
In summary, fascist regimes and movements in the past have demonstrated a degree of radical right-wing authoritarianism that Trump currently doesn't match up to. You could make the argument that America has certainly progressed on the trajectory toward fascism though, even if it isn't nearly radical enough yet.
In summary, fascist regimes and movements in the past have demonstrated a degree of radical right-wing authoritarianism that Trump currently doesn't match up to. You could make the argument that America has certainly progressed on the trajectory toward fascism though, even if it isn't nearly radical enough yet.