Most people have never heard of the Dark Enlightenment—and that’s not surprising. Once relegated to the fringes of the internet and the minds of tech billionaires, this radical ideology has long been dismissed as outlandish, nihilistic, or too extreme to take seriously. Some have even called it the Scientology of the techno-libertarian movement.
But now, it has metastasized into the highest levels of government, hollowing it out from within. To the uninformed, this attack on our democracy might be confusing. Why would the Trump administration dismantle its own institutions? What’s the endgame? What are we missing? The answer lies in the core beliefs of the Dark Enlightenment.
The Dark Enlightenment: A Brief Overview
The Dark Enlightenment, also known as the neo-reactionary movement (NRx), is an anti-democratic ideology that has quietly gained traction among Silicon Valley elites, billionaire GOP investors, political operatives, and right-wing politicians.
At its essence, the movement rejects democracy as inefficient and advocates for a technocratic, corporate-style “CEO-State” where power is concentrated in the hands of unelected leaders.
Curtis Yarvin, the movement’s most well-known figure, has written extensively about the need to abolish democracy and replace it with an all-powerful CEO who rules with absolute authority. He envisions a monarchy structured like a Silicon Valley tech start-up, with a king-like leader and a subservient general public with no say in policy decisions.
“If Americans want to change their government, they’re going to have to get over their dictator phobia,” he once said.
Yarvin describes the U.S. government as an outdated, corrupt system that should be “rebooted” under autocratic control. As a first step, Yarvin calls for a directive he dubbed RAGE: Retire All Government Employees. The goal is to purge the federal bureaucracy, replacing civil servants with loyalists who report to the CEO dictator.
"Dark MAGA": The Fusion of the Dark Enlightenment and Trumpism
Notably, Elon Musk describes himself as “Dark MAGA,” a phrase that hints at an alliance between Trump’s MAGA movement and the ideological tenets of the Dark Enlightenment. Beyond rhetoric, the actions of the Trump administration reflect the movement’s objectives, leaving no doubt about the connection.
In true neo-reactionary fashion, the Trump administration is looking to “reboot” the government under a different operating system. If Trump’s first term was about disrupting the system, his second term is about replacing it entirely. Despite Trump’s stated objectives, his administration is not aiming for a leaner, more effective government, but a private autocracy run by a privileged few.
This merger of MAGA populism with Silicon Valley’s authoritarian techno-elitism is precisely what neo-reactionaries have envisioned for years. They want nothing more than a corporate takeover of government and the destruction of democracy, both nationally and internationally. So far, the Trump administration has exceeded their darkest ambitions—turning their dystopian fantasies into our living nightmare.
The Dark Enlightenment Has Seized the Levers of Power
All of this might sound like a conspiracy theory—I wish it were. But there’s no denying that neo-reactionaries have infiltrated the highest levels of power. If this were a horror movie (and at times, it feels like one), the call would be coming from inside the house.
Curtis Yarvin’s rising influence on MAGA Republicans was on full display at Trump’s 2025 inaugural gala. As the chief architect of the Dark Enlightenment, he moved effortlessly through Trump’s inner circle, his presence a testament to the movement’s grip on power. A Politico story described Yarvin as “an informal guest of honor,” citing his “outsize influence over the Trumpian right.”
Many of Trump’s close associates—including Vice President J.D. Vance, billionaire advisor Marc Andreesson, billionaire State Department official Michael Anton, and billionaire donor Peter Thiel—fully embrace Yarvin’s work. Thiel, a mentor to Vance, has even called Yarvin his “most important connection.”
Beyond Trump’s billionaire donors, Yarvin’s ideology has also captivated right-wing figures like political strategist Steve Bannon and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Bannon has cited Yarvin’s work, while Carlson hosted him for an interview. Meanwhile, a new wave of young conservatives, shaped by this philosophy, now hold key positions in the administration.
In an op-ed for the Bucks County Beacon, columnist Melissa Ryan described these dynamics in stark terms:
“Project 2025 was crafted by acolytes of neo-reactionism. Yarvin is their prophet, Vance is their Moses, and Thiel is more than willing to spend whatever it takes to make this hellish vision of humanity into our reality…The God Emperor [Trump] is a monarch who will return America to being a white supremacist nation where men like Peter Thiel and Elon Musk hold power and control over all of us.”
DOGE: A Dark Horse for Autocracy
Thus, it should come as no surprise that the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is implementing Yarvin’s RAGE program. Under the direction of the tech titans and Project 2025, DOGE is rapidly reshaping the U.S. government.
Musk, acting as the CEO-dictator, and a group of young, unvetted ideologues are carrying out these efforts, wielding de facto control over critical government functions with zero Congressional oversight. They are purging career civil servants and dismantling agencies with alarming speed and utter disregard for those impacted.
DOGE's Radical Overhaul: Key Developments
Despite DOGE’s lack of transparency, it’s easy to see the authoritarian blueprint taking shape. The following concerning actions should serve as a wake-up call:
- Mass Termination of Federal Employees: DOGE has overseen a sweeping purge of the federal workforce, firing approximately 220,000 probationary employees, with more cuts to come. An additional 75,000 have opted for a ‘deferred resignation’ program. A number of lawsuits have been filed to challenge some of these dismissals.
- Access to Sensitive Government Data: DOGE operatives have been granted unprecedented access to sensitive government databases, including IRS taxpayer information, Treasury payment systems, and Social Security data. Understandably, this raises serious privacy and security concerns—especially since some DOGE employees have questionable backgrounds when it comes to cybersecurity and ethics, and Musk himself owns an AI company hungry for training data.
- Dismantling Federal Agencies: DOGE is slashing the budgets of key agencies, including the IRS, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), NASA, and the Department of Education. It is working to eliminate the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Many of these moves are of questionable legality and are facing court challenges.
- Lies, Propaganda, and Fraud: As head of DOGE, Elon Musk has made sweeping claims of government waste and fraud without offering concrete evidence. He boasts of “saving” billions, yet his figures don’t hold up to scrutiny. The so-called DOGE Dividend—a promised payout to taxpayers—appears more like a publicity stunt aimed at deflecting public criticism. These tactics are designed to erode trust in government and set the stage for deep cuts to essential services.
As you might have guessed, DOGE isn’t streamlining bureaucracy—it’s laying the groundwork to privatize and weaponize the U.S. government against the American people and the liberal world order. DOGE is gutting democratic institutions and relinquishing them to unelected billionaires and MAGA loyalists, all while autocratic regimes applaud the chaos.
Why Destroying Government Is the Goal
For neo-reactionaries, destroying the government is not an accident—it is the ultimate objective. The goal is to force a total collapse that would necessitate a replacement. In their view, democracy and bureaucratic governance are inherently flawed, and the only way to establish a more “efficient” system is to burn the existing one to the ground.
This destruction paves the way for the corporate-run state, where power is consolidated in the hands of a small oligarchy of elites. Hitler used the devastation of the Reichstag fire to justify an authoritarian takeover. Similarly, the figurative “burning” of government institutions—leading to economic instability, corruption, and social unrest—creates a crisis for neo-reactionaries to exploit.
In other words, government failure isn’t a bug—it’s a feature. Destroying agencies, purging civil servants, and eroding public trust in democracy are all deliberate steps toward authoritarian control.
The Time to Push Back Is Now
As you can see, the Dark Enlightenment is no longer theoretical—it is operational. If left unchecked, this shift toward private autocracy will become permanent. Congress must act, lawsuits must be filed, state governments must revolt, and the press must expose every move. But this alone is not enough. The American people must rise up and join the fight.
Unfortunately, many of us are demoralized and already exhausted. It’s painful to watch the Democratic Party flounder as the right concentrates power. The desire to “tune out” is understandable—it can even feel necessary for peace of mind. But this is exactly what the autocrats want. They thrive on public disengagement and political paralysis.
The stakes are too high to sit this out. No matter how disheartened we feel, we must show up and do so in overwhelming numbers. Every moment of apathy strengthens their grip. The neo-reactionaries are betting that the public won’t notice or react in time.
They are counting on us to be too distracted, too defeated, or too cynical to stop them.
Let’s prove them wrong.
2/19/2025 (Photo: Mostafa Bassim / Anadolu via Getty Images)
Bonus Video: The Plan to Dismantle Democracy
Here’s an excellent 5-minute video from the Nerd Reich that elaborates on the neo-reactionary plan to dismantle our democracy.