Adversaries Square Off With the President

Unfiltered Insight:

Trump's Political Games vs Nixon's Infamous "Enemies List" - Who Goes Harder?

Time and time again, the White House under our current president has given us a taste of the extreme. Memories of Nixon's "enemies list" may be fading, but Trump's brazen tactics are swiftly taking center stage.

Known for his swagger, Trump has made no secret of his penchant for payback. In the months since his inauguration, he's dished out executive orders against those deemed disloyal, yanked security clearances, and targeted law firms — all over petty grudges or political disagreements. He's even gone so far as to file frivolous lawsuits against his perceived foes, including major media outlets, pollsters, and politicians.

All of this might sound eerily familiar. It's like deja vu, but with a modern twist.

Let's dredge up the past for a moment. Remember Nixon's "enemies list"? It came to light during the Senate Watergate Committee, disclosed by White House Counsel John Dean in June 1973. That list? It went from celebrities to scholars, from senators to newspapers. If you didn't toe the line with his administration, well, you could find yourself on a list of political adversaries slated for retaliation.

From limiting federal grants and contracts to waging legal and prosecutorial battles, Nixon made no bones about using the government machinery to take down those who opposed him.

So, who's worse? Nixon or Trump? Well, here's the kicker. Unlike Nixon, Trump's tactics aren't masterminded behind closed doors. They're out in the open, on full display for the world to see.

Sure, there's no embarrassing secret to find in Trump's actions. He boasts about them on social media and holds public ceremonies to celebrate them. But what Trump lacks in covertness, he makes up for in sheer audacity.

What's more, Trump's administration has managed to combine and escalate the abuses of the Red Scare, McCarthyism, and Watergate all in the span of a few short months. And instead of inciting scandal and shame like Nixon, Trump seems to revel in the attention.

Yet, there's still hope. After all, McCarthy was eventually stopped in his tracks during the Army-McCarthy hearings. And it was when Joseph Welch, a lawyer representing the Army, asked McCarthy, "Have you no sense of decency?" that the tide turned.

It's time to ask that question again. In this political climate, haven't we had enough? Aren't there lines that simply should not be crossed? As Americans, is it too much to expect that our leaders will lead with integrity and put the good of the country above their own petty squabbles?

Robert Corn-Revere, chief counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, might have something to say about that. But that's a story for another day.

[1] - Government Accountability Project; Nixon's Enemies List; retrieved March 14, 2023 from https://thepoliticsofdeception.org/nixons-enemies-list/;[2] - Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Museum; Nixon's Enemies List; retrieved March 14, 2023 from https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/exhibits/political-enemies;[3] - History.com; Watergate; retrieved March 14, 2023 from https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/watergate;[4] - Timothy Naftali, "Deeper Than Watergate: The Ziegler Tapes"; Library of America; 2013.

Many people have strong opinions on whether President Trump's political tactics are more extreme than President Nixon's infamous "enemies list."
Health and politics often intersect, and some argue that the health of our democratic processes is at risk due to the aggressive political maneuvers of both presidents.
In the realm of policy-and-legislation and general-news, there have been hearings to address government misconduct, like the Senate Watergate Committee and the Army-McCarthy hearings.
Some prefer to label President Trump's actions as a modern-day "enemies list," complete with executive orders, security clearance revocations, and public lawsuits against those who oppose him.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), crime-and-justice, and war-and-conflicts are separate from the Nixon and Trump controversies, but they too can be influenced by politics, as policies and priorities shift over time.
It's essential to have a discussion about the boundaries of acceptable political behavior—is bluntly weaponizing the government machinery against political adversaries acceptable, or should we relabel such actions as inappropriate and contrary to our country's best interests?