One year ago, just two months into President Trump’s second term, I wrote about his administration’s attacks on free expression. He and his billionaire-filled administration had already – infamously – taken a chainsaw to the foundations of American democracy. They had attacked non-profit organizations and suspended lifesaving humanitarian aid, attempted to silence dissent via executive orders and threats, and used immigration enforcement as a tool to suppress free speech, deporting legal permanent residents, visa holders and refugees for expressing ideas the administration disfavored.

One year later, President Trump’s authoritarian tactics have only intensified. His foreign policy has gotten more aggressive and interventionist, while domestically he has continued to attack our democratic norms and endanger our communities and neighbors. At Oxfam, an organization dedicated to fighting inequality and defending human rights globally, we have experienced this playbook before in numerous other countries. We know that a vibrant civil society, a cornerstone of democracy, made up of non-profit organizations, activists, faith groups, and individuals is essential for holding governments accountable. And that speaking out, in community and solidarity, is critical.

So, I again feel compelled to put pen to paper and reaffirm Oxfam’s and my commitment to fighting for a future of diversity, equity and inclusion where everyone can not only survive, but thrive.

A New Era of Destabilizing Foreign Policy

We are witnessing a new era of U.S. foreign policy that is markedly aggressive and destabilizing, disrupting international peace, security and trust. It is quickly accelerating the collapse of what remains of our system of international law, governance, and cooperation.

Since President Trump took office, the U.S. government has abducted foreign leaders, committed murder on the high seas, threatened to take over sovereign territory, and overtly threatened economic ruin and violence to extract what it wants from other countries. It has stretched vital partnerships to near breaking points, and, by undermining the pillars of international security, put every person on the planet at greater risk.

None of these actions bears any resemblance to protecting U.S. interests. President Trump is entrenching a world where billionaires profit from peacemaking and even more from war, where the ultra-rich take what they want and everyone else is left even farther behind, particularly those facing poverty, conflict and instability.

Most recently, in the Middle East, the United States and Israel launched an unlawful all-out attack on Iran – the consequences of which are being borne by vulnerable communities and families across the region, many of whom have been displaced and forced to flee violence. The conflict will deepen poverty as economies contract further and widen inequality gaps for people already living through humanitarian crises in Lebanon, Gaza, the West Bank, and more.

The escalation in the Middle East isn’t just dangerous, it’s a reckless breach of international law with collateral damage felt far beyond the region. The attack on Iran falls outside the narrow bounds of lawful self-defense, undermining the very system of international law and collective security that has protected the U.S. and its allies since World War II. The violent escalation in the region, including Iran’s response, has entered a dramatically new and dangerous phase, with widespread humanitarian impacts. As the region stands at a perilous moment, Oxfam urgently calls on all parties to the conflict to immediately end the violence. If we are serious about a safer, more just world, then we must be serious about international law, about protecting civilians, and about defending the fragile spaces where peace is still possible.

Oxfam America rejects a United States foreign policy based on power and profit. In our work with partners and communities every day in more than 75 countries, we see the real and devastating impacts that conflict, insecurity, and inequality have on the poorest people. The chaos and conflict that the Trump administration is sowing is already costing lives, and the direct and wider ripple effects will only grow for communities abroad and at home: more chaos, forced displacement, and destruction alongside the fracturing of our global institutions.

Sowing Chaos and Violence at Home

The attack on Iran came after a year of destabilization in the United States as well. After initially slashing people’s healthcare to pay for tax cuts for billionaires, arresting and deporting legal permanent residents and visa holders simply for voicing their opinions, using the tools of the federal government to punish and attack universities, non-profits, law firms and individuals that dared express views disfavored by the President, the Trump administration amped up its attacks on immigrants with a series of violent ICE operations in cities across the U.S. – from Los Angeles to New Orleans to Minneapolis. These operations abducted our neighbors and loved ones, sowed fear and intimidation across immigrant communities, and cruelly separated families.

When the people rose up in peaceful protest against these authoritarian tactics, the Trump administration sent the military into our communities and used violence against peaceful protestors. Masked men killed Americans on the streets of our cities, administration officials blatantly lied, blamed the victims and besmirched their memories, and none of the perpetrators are facing any accountability. Meanwhile, journalists are being arrested for doing their jobs and reporting on the truth.

It is painful to watch public officials flagrantly use racism and anti-immigrant sentiment to target and destroy families. And it is difficult to watch President Trump further erode our freedom and democracy to expand his own power and further enrich himself and his billionaire friends at the expense of everyone else. The administration is continuing its textbook authoritarian attacks on marginalized communities: the poor, LGBTQIA+ people, people of color, and immigrants, and on our civil liberties, clean air and water, free and fair elections – the very things that have, in fact, strengthened America and in the first place.

What We Can Do

In this moment of destabilization, we cannot let the administration distract or dispirit us from our efforts to fight for justice, human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Oxfam is a global organization that fights inequality to end poverty and injustice. Working in more than 75 countries with more than 2,300 local organizations, we reach more than 14 million people, offering lifesaving support in times of crisis and tackling the root causes of poverty for the long term. We demand equal rights and equal treatment so that everyone can thrive, not just survive. And we will not stop.

We will remain steadfast in using our voices to advocate for those who are under attack, and, alongside our partners, fight for policies that uphold justice.

We call on leaders and the public to show up, to speak out, to protest peacefully, to hold the Trump administration accountable. We call on Congress to exercise its constitutional authorities by requiring explicit authorization for any U.S. military engagement abroad, withholding funds for actions that violate the law, and enforcing stronger oversight and reporting standards for the Administration. In short, to do their jobs.

We know the outcomes if they this trajectory continues:  the world we live in will become less safe, poorer, and more unstable.

President Trump behaves as if justice, equality, cooperation, and rights are not just quaint ideals of the past, but unacceptable limits on his personal power, wealth and supremacy. We believe they are the pillars of a just society and a brighter, more equal future for everyone, and we will keep fighting for them.

We are fighting for a world where the U.S. respects all countries’ territorial integrity, and everyone can thrive without fear of domination or exploitation. We envision U.S. policy guided by justice, equality, and cooperation—not personal power or profit—and a global system in which international law and global collaboration are upheld and followed. A world in which leaders are accountable, nations can make their own choices to best serve their people, and communities everywhere can live with dignity, opportunity, and security. We believe the pillars of a brighter future—justice, human rights, cooperation, and equality—are the foundation for a world where peace and fairness are possible for all.

Join us in building a safer, more equal world. The future depends on it.