I think they are linked. Democracy can only work and thrive with an educated and/or informed population who is willing and able to have public and civil discourse. The fact that the political climate is the way it is now, so divided and only engaging to act on petty revenges, allows for fascism to take root. We saw this in Germany prior to the second World War. When NSDAP began beating people up in the street who opposed their ideology, with little repercussions for such behavior, led to the beer hall putsch, and eventually the rise of Herr Hitler. I can see parallels with the modern day political climate of America. The issue is that we voted them into the white house; I think that might even be more jarring than them being in there itself. Democratically voting a fascist in power is a tell tale sign that our democracy is not working.
Even if that is the case, though you’ve provided no literature or evidence to substantiate such a grandiose claim, there are so many people who blindly support trump and would defend him against all logic and evidence. The fact that you see in many online spaces such massive support for a man like this is very concerning for democracy; just as it was when Hitler gained more and more support in his rise and seizure of power.