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If 2025 had already been poised as the most challenging period in modern history for the international system established after WWII, recent days has been among the most devastating so far. Israel deepened its disregard for international conventions after deploying 10 fighter jets to Qatar, bombing representatives from Hamas participating in ceasefire talks in Doha. The final significant platform for diplomatic negotiation appears to have gone up in smoke.

No fewer than 19 Russian drones violated Poland’s airspace. In an unprecedented move, Nato airpower was engaged to counter hostile objects inside a Nato country. Regardless of if the incursion resulted from an error or deliberate probing from Russia, according to analysts in the West, it represented “the closest we have been to open conflict after WWII,” the Polish leader, Donald Tusk, stated.

Subsequently, a prominent conservative voice, a firebrand conservative activist and staunch supporter of Trump, was shot dead during a speech to university attendees and Maga supporters at a Utah university. In the absence of proof of the shooter’s identity or motives, the former president quickly accused “those on the radical left,” accusing them of rhetoric “directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing across the nation today.”

When questioned about the divided nation could heal after Kirk’s assassination, he responded he “couldn’t care less”. The reasoning provided for that was chilling: Right-wing extremists act aggressively since they don’t want to see crime … Leftist activists pose the real threat – being vicious and horrible and strategically clever.” In this manner polarisation hardens into group mentality. This is how the spiral of hatred accelerates toward a point of no return.

Actually, over 75% of deaths linked to extremism in the US over the last 10 years were perpetrated by individuals on the far right, while left-wing radicals responsible for only a fraction of these incidents. The former president denounced political violence in general a day later – yet omitted mention of the recent spate assaults against Democrats, which involved multiple murders. From his perspective, the problem is always “them”, never the loyal supporters constituting his core followers.

The political and cultural aftershocks of Kirk’s death will no doubt unfold in the coming weeks, but the biggest danger in a polarised climate involves this event transforms into a historical parallel of our age. The deliberate burning which occurred in early 1933 marked Germany’s pivot from fragile democracy toward autocratic rule. Hitler, newly appointed as head of state, seized the moment to extinguish the freedoms of the Weimar constitution – expression, press, association, public gathering.

“Those opposing us will be cut down,” he said, inspecting the damaged structure. Numerous leftist activists were jailed, including all 81 Communist deputies in parliament. Once opposition was suppressed, the Nazis swiftly consolidated power.

Within modern America, Kirk’s death has captivated the nation, galvanising the Maga movement and Trump’s supporters, and he knows it. An extremist figure, Matt Forney, clamoured for detainment of all opposing lawmakers, explicitly labeling the murder as the movement’s turning point.

In truth, this incident serves as that could rescue an increasingly unpopular presidency plagued with a sharp drop in job numbers, currency devaluation, and a housing crisis. The former president grieved like a lost relative, yet his language implied it might become as much about targeting opponents as justice. Immediately following the assassination, he vowed to pursue all individuals involved directly or indirectly to this atrocity … even groups that fund and support it.” He singled out a billionaire philanthropist, a donor to liberal causes and political contributor. He is dangerous,” he informed NBC News, he deserves imprisonment.”

The motive behind Kirk’s killing are still unknown. The political views of the suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, appear as muddled as those of Thomas Matthew Crooks, a young man who tried to kill Trump in Pennsylvania. Does this represent left-wing extremism targeting right-wing figures – or rather an obscure online culture of online niches spilling into reality? The slogans etched on to the bullet casings in Utah appear unlike a political statement than a crude bricolage of puerile memes and gaming references.

Yet concerns arise that the repression of “unwilling” academics, legal professionals, media workers, civil servants, military officers, and judges across the country may increase. Already, reactions on social media have led to a wave of terminations and US state department officials have warned foreign nationals against endorsing or joking about the murder, instructing consulates to implement measures toward individuals who do.

Trump has long thrived on chaos and disorder. When genuine emergencies are absent, he fabricates them – like nonexistent crime waves in Los Angeles, the capital and urban centers. Fake chaos advances his ambitions. Currently, he possesses an ideal opportunity. It is understandable he couldn’t care less about national unity.

The shooting offers an ideal justification for tightening his grip, muzzling opposition, and concentrating power – enabling future leaders may inherit total governmental power, irrespective of charisma, qualifications or electoral support. After all, all authoritarian regimes has to be built first; after consolidation, it becomes far easier to maintain.

Democratic systems and the rules-based global order are far from perfect, yet they provided stability, progress and economic growth – the antithesis of dictatorial rule. To suggest that America, a founder of modern systems, could soon slide into full-blown autocracy, with rulers adopting historical extremist mindsets, may seem far-fetched.

However, alternatively, it is quite plausible. Totalitarianism remained recent history during the upbringing of individuals within modern democratic Europe were growing up. From Belgium to Bulgaria, numerous households have some history of the death, destruction, hatred and destitution that authoritarianism leaves behind. If Americans want to save their near future, they may want to consult our recent past.