American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten has received criticism over her new book suggesting President Trump is a fascist — which she’s been promoting in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Weingarten’s book tour for “Why Fascists Fear Teachers” comes as authorities investigate the 31-year-old Turning Point USA founder’s shocking murder as an act of political violence — leading to concerns over the timing of the union boss’s promotional blitz.
The AFT president’s publisher describes the book as “a manifesto for our time.”
In an excerpt, published by Rolling Stone, Weingarten writes: “Democracy is people power. But fascists want one leader or a small group of elites to have all the power. And that is what’s happening in the United States right now — with billionaire Trump having enabled his shadow governing partner Elon Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, to act as his co-president.”
“Meanwhile, Trump’s initial second-term Cabinet was on track to be the wealthiest in history, ‘worth at least $382 billion — higher than the GDP of 172 countries.’ The problem for fascists, then, is that a public with strong critical thinking muscles is more likely to strengthen democracy and resist authoritarianism,” she continues.
An AFT spokesperson told The Post that Weingarten was “describing fascistic behavior” and not suggesting Trump or members of his administration are fascist.
“This new book that I wrote, I don’t actually call anyone a fascist,” Weingarten claimed.
“I describe what fascists do and why they fear teachers. You make your own decisions.”
Weingarten, the head of the second-largest teachers’ union in the US, has been on the podcast and webinar circuit promoting the book — which received a social media shoutout from Hillary Clinton on Wednesday.
“Congratulations to my friend [Weingarten] on Why Fascists Fear Teachers. From banning books to controlling curriculum, authoritarians go after public education because it’s a cornerstone of democracy,” the failed 2016 Democratic presidential nominee wrote on X.
“Randi’s new book is a critical read for this moment.”
The breakneck pace of Weingarten’s promotional efforts, as well as the book itself, have enraged some conservatives.
“The room. That’s what y’all should read,” journalist Chuck Ross wrote on X.
“She’s moving full speed ahead with this sick rhetoric right after Charlie Kirk’s assassination,” Corey A. DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Culture Project, posted.
“She needs to resign in disgrace.”
Republican communicator Matt Whitlock tweeted: “It’s been one week since Charlie Kirk was murdered by a lunatic who wrote about ‘fascists’ on shell casings. Now, Randi Weingarten has a new book arguing everyone who disagrees with her views on public education – which have destroyed public education in America – is a fascist.”
“Hey fascist! Catch!” and “Oh bella ciao, bella ciao” – a reference to a popular Italian anti-fascist song – were among the messages found scrawled on bullet casings linked to Kirk’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson.
Robinson, 22, was “deeply indoctrinated with leftist ideology,” authorities have said.
Trump has blamed “radical left” rhetoric, comparing “wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals” for the assassination.
“This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now,” he declared last week.
Weingarten responded to concerns about her book by suggesting to Fox News Digital that critics haven’t read it.
“Have they read the book?” she told the outlet.
“If they did they’d discover it’s a love letter to teachers.”
Read the full article here
