Longtime right-wing strategist and commentator Erick Erickson accused President Donald Trump's supporters on Friday of effectively embracing what he called a core trait of Marxism in order to pass their agenda.
"One of the hallmarks of Marxism is a redefinition of words and control of language," wrote Erickson on X. "Marxists believe if you control language, you control reality and thereby acquire power. Some on the right are dabbling in Marxism, now insisting tariffs are not tax."
"When you embrace Marxism as a political tool, don't be surprised to wake up one day a communist," he warned.
Marxism is an economic and political theory primarily based on rejecting capitalism and free enterprise, and promoting collective ownership of capital. "Control of language" is not inherently a plank of Marxism although, in practice, many countries whose political systems were founded on Marxist ideology ended up repressive of speech, which often had societal consequences even after these countries abandoned their systems.
Trump's aggressive worldwide tariff policy, which was struck down by a federal court earlier this week but is currently still in effect while an appellate court reviews the issue, has been widely criticized by economists and even some conservative politicians for imposing steep taxes that will ultimately be paid by consumers.
The administration has denied this is the case and even put political pressure on retail giants like Walmart not to raise their prices in response to the tariffs.
Erickson, who previously worked on the George W. Bush presidential campaign and advised several GOP politicians in Georgia, has had a fraught relationship with Trump and the MAGA movement, at times endorsing it, but on many other occasions calling out elements of Trump's agenda and inner circle he believes are harmful to the country or the Republican Party.
