Now, in 2027, with the Trump dictatorship’s fall, it’s obvious that only a youth revolution could have brought down the corrupt U.S. regime.

But two years ago, no one talked about what the kids might do. America had no clear vision of how to stop its tyrannical government.

American adults were collaborators (rooting for Trump’s lawlessness), or cowards (surrendering institutions), or carnival barkers (blasting Trump online but not in real life).

Yes, there were lawsuits, and self-congratulation among adults who attended “No Kings” marches. But no grown-up dared tear down the regime.

One plurality of America’s adults had voted for Trump. Another plurality had elected the Democrats who enabled him.

But children and teens hadn’t voted for anyone.

And the regime was robbing kids of their future. ProPublica called it a “war on children” — from shutting down the U.S. Department of Education, to demanding tribute from universities. Books and materials that flouted the regime’s morals were banned by executive order. Trump literally stole kids’ lunch money, cutting school-meal eligibility. The Department of Homeland Security came on campus to grab undocumented students, and deported U.S. citizen children of immigrants. The president, through an executive order, sought to cancel the constitutional citizenship rights of U.S.-born kids.

The regime didn’t care if children lived or died. It opposed gun control and did nothing to stem school shootings. The president cut billions in children’s health care, and dismantled programs to prevent childhood lead poisoning and pediatric cancer. The U.S. health secretary discouraged vaccinations, risking a resurgence of deadly childhood diseases. The government, declaring climate change a hoax, burned more fossil fuels.

With Democrats forcing a government shutdown to preserve health subsidies for the middle-aged, children had to save themselves.

Their revolt began quietly in 2025. Children in Defense Department schools worldwide staged April walkouts to protest book bans and attacks on diversity. From Fresno to Chicago, students walked out to protest deportations.

None of this stopped Trump, who ramped up the cruelty. But as ICE raids and National Guard deployments pressed on cities, isolated school walkouts evolved into a national mass movement.

By 2026, tens of millions of American students, from grade school to college, routinely skipped school to join protests that the president resign. Some, noting Trump’s social media video of himself bombing protesters with poop, dumped feces on federal facilities.

“Stop Sh-tting on Our Future!” they cried.

Trump responded by arresting thousands of young protestors as “antifa terrorists.” This escalated protests and made headlines worldwide. America’s youth joined a global revolution against authoritarian governments. In 2025, youth protesters had overthrown Nepal’s government, and ousted Madagascar’s president. Youth protesters also threatened governments in the Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia, Kenya, Paraguay, Peru, Serbia, and Morocco.

Young American protesters adopted the pirate flag of these global fights — a smiling skull-and-crossbones wearing a straw hat, an image from the classic Japanese anime series “One Piece.”

Youth protesters also pointed mirrors at adults who confronted them on the streets. Childish? Look in the mirror to see who is acting like a child.

The Mirror Revolution had no leaders; it used online tools to reach consensus around non-partisan demands. Not only did the entire Trump regime have to go, but so did the Democratic politicians and judges who tolerated the tyranny.

Desperate, Trump invoked the Insurrection Act and declared martial law. That move finally brought adults into the streets. Troops defending the White House, the Capitol, and Mar-a-Lago were surrounded by millions.

The military was ordered to fire on the protesters. But the soldiers, young themselves, refused — and joined the uprising. Trump and aides escaped on a Qatari plane.

The revolution was traumatic — but inspired renewal. A constitutional convention (all delegates are under 40) is meeting as I write. It’s amazing how quickly one regime can fall, and a new republic can be born, when young people imagine a better future — and fight for it.

Joe Mathews writes the Connecting California column for Zócalo Public Square and is the founder-publisher of Democracy Local, a planetary publication.