Leaked Strategy Documents Outline Sunrise Movement's Multi-Phase Plan for Systemic Overhaul Ahead of May Day
EXCLUSIVE: A detailed strategic blueprint from the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led climate organization known for its confrontational tactics and alliances with broader left-wing causes, outlines an ambitious, multi-decade plan to fundamentally reshape American politics and economics. The internal documents, obtained by the watchdog group Defending Education, frame this effort as a "political revolution" necessary to achieve "eco-socialism" and a "multi-racial democracy."
The presentation slides, dated from a March 2026 membership meeting, chart a course through four distinct phases. The immediate "Phase 1" focuses on countering former President Donald Trump's influence, building toward "mass noncooperation" around events like May Day, and leveraging the 2026 midterm elections for progressive gains.
Subsequent phases escalate the strategy. "Phase 2," pegged to the 2028 election cycle, calls for "MASS strikes" and historic voter turnout. "Phase 3" (2029-2031) is labeled the period of "political revolution," culminating in "Phase 4: The New System" from 2032 onward—a future state the materials wryly suggest will include "Happiness (maybe)."
The plan explicitly links campus activism to national objectives, urging students to pressure their universities to sever contracts with corporations deemed "ICE enablers," such as Hilton Hotels. Tactics include disruptive booking-and-canceling campaigns, aiming to "topple the corporate pillar" of the current system.
The documents also present three potential political scenarios for America's future: a "full dictatorship" under Trump, a dysfunctional "seesaw democracy," or their preferred outcome—a mass mobilization leading to electoral victory and sweeping structural reforms.
"These aren't just protest plans; they're a deliberate, phased strategy to use economic and institutional pressure to force a socialist transformation," said Rhyen Staley, Research Director at Defending Education. "It crosses a line from advocacy into a concerted campaign to weaponize educational institutions for political ends."
The Sunrise Movement's calls for a nationwide strike on May 1st—International Workers' Day—echo this strategic shift. At a recent rally in Minnesota, Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin amplified the call, urging a halt to "business as usual" to demonstrate people power over "billionaires and kings."
The group's alliances and long-term objectives have previously drawn scrutiny from congressional committees concerned about its links to militant anti-fascist (Antifa) networks.
Voices from the Digital Town Square
Marcus Chen, Political Science Professor at Georgetown: "While the scale and explicit nature of this roadmap is new, the underlying tension isn't. This reflects a generational cohort that views incremental climate and political reform as a failure. The document is less a practical plan and more a statement of ideological intent and deep frustration."
David Powell, Veteran Labor Organizer in Pittsburgh: "I see the energy, but the strategy feels academically abstract. Lasting change is built in communities, on shop floors, through sustained organizing—not just through campus pressure campaigns and symbolic strikes. They risk burning out their base before achieving concrete wins."
Anya Sharma, Software Developer & Community Activist: "This is exactly the kind of clear, long-term thinking we've been missing! The system is broken by design. Playing nice gets us nowhere. Phase 3 can't come soon enough—the so-called 'happiness' slide is the only part that seems like a naive fantasy."
Senator James O'Connell (R-AZ), via spokesperson: "These leaked plans confirm our worst fears: radical elements are openly seeking to dismantle our democratic republic and replace it with a socialist system. Using students as pawns to attack businesses and disrupt society is dangerous and un-American. It must be condemned universally."