Trump Cries Communism—But Did It Happen?

Radical caucuses just seized control of the Democratic Socialists of America — but calling it a communist takeover may be more politics than fact.

Story Snapshot

Revolutionary left caucuses won a majority of seats at the DSA’s 2025 national convention, pushing out moderate factions.
A new group called the Liberation Caucus openly describes itself as Marxist-Leninist-Maoist and favors revolution over reform.
President Trump called DSA candidates “hardcore, godless communists,” while Speaker Johnson warned of a “socialist earthquake” in the Democratic Party.
The DSA’s own constitution contains no communist language, and the group has long opposed communist regimes like the Soviet Union and China.

A Real Shift at the DSA’s 2025 Convention

Something significant happened at the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) national convention in 2025. A coalition of far-left groups — Red Star, the Marxist Unity Group, and Bread and Roses — won a majority of delegate seats. They pushed out the more moderate Socialist Majority and Groundwork caucuses. That is a real power shift inside the organization, and it matters for understanding where the DSA is headed.^[1]

Also new in 2025 is the Liberation Caucus. This group openly calls itself Marxist-Leninist-Maoist. It supports revolution over working within the system. That is not a subtle distinction. Marxist-Leninist-Maoist is the ideology behind some of history’s most authoritarian regimes. The fact that this caucus now operates inside the DSA is a legitimate story — even if it does not speak for the whole organization.^[1]

Trump and Johnson Turn Up the Heat

President Trump wasted no time putting a label on it. After DSA-backed candidates won Democratic primaries in New York, Trump called them “hardcore, godless communists.” House Speaker Mike Johnson called the results a “socialist earthquake” and warned that Marxist candidates are taking over the Democratic Party. Both men made these statements in the context of building toward the 2026 midterm elections. That timing matters. Political attacks during campaign season do not always track with precise ideological definitions.^[2]^[3]

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is the most prominent DSA figure in the news. He describes himself as a democratic socialist, not a communist. His policy focus includes rent freezes and universal childcare — programs rooted in the New Deal tradition, not in state control of all production or the abolition of private property. Critics point to his opposition to military aid for Israel and his ties to the DSA’s new leadership as warning signs. Supporters say he is simply a progressive urban politician.^[10]

What the DSA’s Own Documents Actually Say

Here is where the “full-blown communism” claim runs into trouble. The DSA’s official constitution contains no language embracing communism. There is no verifiable record of the group removing anti-communist bylaws, because no such clauses appear to have existed in the first place. The organization has historically opposed communist regimes — the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, North Korea — and its website has described itself as opposed to those models. Calling the DSA communist based on the current evidence overstates what the facts support.^[4]^[5]^[7]

That said, ignoring the real changes inside the DSA would also miss the story. Democratic socialism and communism are different things — experts draw a clear line between groups that support elections and free speech versus regimes that use state force to control everything. But a group that now includes a Marxist-Leninist-Maoist caucus and passed a resolution threatening to expel members who support Israel’s right to defend itself has moved well to the left of where it started. Americans on both the right and the left deserve an honest look at what is actually happening — not a partisan label that shuts down the conversation before it starts.^[1]^[11]