Top historian explains why Trump might 'fake' an 'act of terror'

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U.S. President Donald Trump holds a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 30, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

As the war with Iran flares back up, a leading historian and expert on authoritarianism warns that President Donald Trump might attempt to “fake” an “act of terror.” This is according to Yale historian Timothy Snyder, an expert on the fascist regimes, who on Tuesday raised a dire warning about Trump’s intentions regarding Iran.

“Trump is pursuing this war in the HOPE that Iran carries out an act of terror in the U.S.,” Snyder posted. “And even if it doesn’t, which I doubt it will, consider the possibility that Trump's people would fake one.”

Snyder made this statement along with a link to an article he wrote describing Trump’s “desire for terror,” which would provide the president with “a pretext to try to cancel or ‘federalize’ the coming Congressional elections.” The historian’s warning comes not only as the war resumes, but as Trump has ramped up his election denial claims and demands for states to surrender control over elections to the federal government.

According to Snyder, “Self-terrorism might not have been the initial aim; but as time goes by, and failures and atrocities mount, its appeal will grow. Trump could think that he has much to gain; the war itself makes terrorism more likely; there are plausible vectors of terror; and the United States has let down its defenses.” What’s more, “Trump has already telegraphed the move. We know that he is obsessed with the fall elections, which his party will almost certainly lose by spectacular margins, and that he fears the accordant loss of power. This is clear from his own statements and actions.”

Snyder notes that Trump has offered “incoherent” justifications for the war, writing that “it is as though the war itself is not the main goal, but that it was simply important to somehow get the thing started.” And if the president is hoping for an act of terrorism, “the Tehran regime is, so to speak, a convenient partner in the mutual provocation of terror. Trump seems to have anticipated this, without seeming to care about loss of life: ‘Like I said, some people will die.’ And if they do, he has his pretext.”

While there are a number of contexts in which Iran or a different U.S. adversary could attempt a terror attack, Snyder suggests that “another possibility is an American act of terrorism on the territory of the United States, either presented as an Iranian attack or not. Most terrorism inside the United States is domestic and is right-wing, and this war has been very divisive among American fascists. Historically, fascist competitions for power have been accompanied by internal violence.”

What’s more, according to Snyder, not only has Trump dismantled much of the anti-terror apparatus, but “domestic terrorists are also getting a pass if they are right-wing; the Department of Homeland Security has deprioritized domestic terrorism and is no longer keeping up its database. An unqualified but right-wing recent college graduate is in charge of its program designed to prevent domestic terrorism.” Snyder notes that several current high-level U.S. intelligence and anti-terror appointees lack experience, and are direct allies of Trump who have expressed desire to meddle in U.S. elections.

Should a terror attack occur, whether by Iran, Russia or some domestic entity, writes Snyder, “none of this requires any sort of grand plan in the White House, let alone a conspiracy. None of it even requires very much initiative. Self-terrorism is more a matter of allowing things to fall apart, and then grabbing opportunely at a bit of the falling wreckage, which is something that Trump does well.”

“Modern tyranny is terror management,” Snyder concludes. “When the terrorist attack comes, remember that authoritarians exploit such events in order to consolidate power. The sudden disaster that requires the end of checks and balances, the dissolution of opposition parties, the suspension of freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, and so on, is the oldest trick in the Hitlerian book.”

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