The United States President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on November 7th declaring November 2-8 as “Anti-Communism Week” in the U.S. to commemorate the approximately 100 million victims who perished due to the communist political system. This proclamation was released on the “National Day for the Victims of Communism.” In the announcement, Trump solemnly commemorated the devastation caused by one of the most destructive ideologies in history.
Since the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, starting with Vladimir Lenin’s establishment of communist rule in Russia, the proclamation highlights the global “destruction” caused by communist regimes around the world. This collective ideology originated from Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels’ writing of “The Communist Manifesto” in 1848.
Characteristics of communist rule include the destruction of family structures, the abolishment of traditional societal morals, and the suppression of religious and spiritual freedoms. Trump paid tribute to those whose lives were taken by authoritarian regimes that aimed to eradicate belief, suppress freedom, destroy prosperity earned through hard work, and violate the innate human rights and dignity of the oppressed.
He emphasized the country’s commitment to vigorously oppose communism, uphold the causes of freedom and human dignity, and reaffirm that no government system can replace the will and conscience of a free people. The progress made since the Soviet Union’s dissolution in 1991, ending decades-long cold war, was acknowledged while warning of the subversive and stubborn nature of tyranny.
The announcement warned against the re-emergence of old lies in the form of “social justice” and “democratic socialism,” conveying a consistent message – surrender your freedom, entrust trust to government power, accept controlled hollow promises in exchange for prosperity. Tactics commonly used to penetrate Western society include spreading false information, fueling divisive speech, polarizing issues, and manipulating political movements to amplify pro-communist messages.
Instances of promoting communist ideologies were observed at recent events like the “No Kings” gathering in Washington, and protests surrounding the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where dozens of pro-communist banners and slogans were displayed. Radical elements advocate for the abolition of private property and the dismantling of existing social structures, echoing the communist belief that order must be established through political turmoil and chaos.
While slogans depict this movement as fighting for the workers and common people to garner support, historical records repeatedly show that communism ultimately leads to authoritarian control. Approximately 1.5 billion people reside in five communist regime countries, with the majority in China, and others in Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam.
Since 1949, Chinese Communist Party leaders have tightly controlled society, coercing citizens into obedience through means such as imprisonment, forced organ harvesting, and murder. Communist regimes consistently seek to eradicate traditional values, aiming to elevate the government as the supreme moral authority and concentrating power at the top of the system.
The President’s proclamation states that the U.S. “rejects this evil doctrine,” showcasing a commitment to the founding principles of the nation. “Whether from abroad or domestically, no ideology can extinguish these principles,” the proclamation asserts. “We mourn the oppressed victims, allowing their cause to continue and ensuring that communism, and all systems that deny the rights to life, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness, will ultimately be swept into the ash heap of history,” Trump wrote.
In many non-profit organizations focused on communism, the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, based in Washington, is advocating for the establishment of a “world free from the false hopes of communism.” The organization stated in a release: “Communism has always been fundamentally incompatible with freedom, prosperity, and human dignity, and it will remain so in the future. We must remember that despite its promises of equality and liberation, it only strips away people’s most basic rights and freedoms.”