Trump's explosive actions illuminate his transformation of the presidency

In a daring power play, President Donald Trump is transforming the federal government into a weapon for boosting his allies and crushing enemies. He's using executive orders, federal investigations, and regulatory decisions to wield power against a diverse range of targets – from prestigious universities like Harvard and Columbia, to major law firms, to individual critics from his first term and his successor, Joe Biden's White House aides. Simultaneously, Trump showers allies with presidential pardons, government contracts, and the cancellation of federal investigations.

One of the most striking examples of Trump's transactional presidency is his tumultuous relationship with Elon Musk. When Musk was a prominent political ally and benefactor, the White House turned a blind eye to potential conflicts of interest as Musk's companies sought billions in government contracts. But when their friendship soured, Trump immediately threatened to terminate the contracts for Musk's companies.

Trump's statement to NBC's Kristen Welker that Musk would face "very serious consequences" if he supported Democratic campaigns encapsulates the President's attitude – anyone can swiftly become an adversary by opposing or questioning Trump, and the consequences of crossing that line can be severe. By immediately threatening Musk's contracts, albeit knowing it might be difficult to carry out, Trump made it crystal clear that favorability towards him could make the difference between favorable decisions by his administration and costly confrontations. For Trump, federal policy and personal loyalty are indistinguishable.

Ian Bassin, co-founder of the nonpartisan group Protect Democracy, remarked, "Never before in this country has a president made it so clear that mere disagreement with him or failure to show sufficient personal loyalty might lead to losing government contracts or even facing investigation. That's how things work in Russia, and apparently, under Donald Trump, now here."

Historically, Richard Nixon was thought to have pushed hardest to bend federal legal authority for personal and political benefits, culminating in the Watergate scandal and the exposure of an infamous White House "enemies list." While Nixon expressed his displeasure with opponents privately, he never subjected them to the shower of hostile federal actions like Trump has directed at his targets.

Ex-White House counsel John Dean, who worked under Nixon during Watergate, noted the similarities in their personalities and attitudes. However, Dean added, Nixon often lost interest in his threats or backed off when faced with resistance, while Trump and his aides are mobilizing virtually every federal agency to execute this mission. "Everything with Nixon is more of a one-off," Dean said, "whereas with Trump it is a way of life."

Every day, Trump is taking new, unprecedented actions to deploy federal power with precision-targeted attacks on individuals and institutions who have crossed or resisted him. He has pulled security clearances from political adversaries, withdrawn security protection for others, and revoked the clearances of two critics from his first term. Last week, Trump even ordered a federal investigation into the right-wing conspiracy theory that aides to Biden misused his autopen to implement decisions without his knowledge.

Trump has targeted major institutions he deems hostile with executive orders imposing crippling penalties on several large law firms and the cancelation of billions of dollars in scientific research grants to prestigious universities. He has escalatedhis offensive against Harvard with a dizzying array of measures, from attempting to revoke its ability to enroll foreign students to publicly declaring that the IRS aims to revoke its tax-exempt status. The New York Times recently reported that Harvard is now facing at least eight separate investigations from six federal agencies.

As he punishes critics, Trump has conspicuously rewarded allies. He has dropped federal corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, who pledged to support Trump's immigration crackdown, and terminated high-profile enforcement actions against the crypto industry as his family's financial ties to the industry expand. Trump has also issued a flurry of early second-term pardons targeted at his supporters, starting with the mass pardon of January 6, 2021, rioters and extending to a growing list of Republican and conservative public officials. Legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, author of "The Pardon," stated that Trump's actions have no precedent.

According to Bassin, these actions create a mafia-style protection racket. Those who meet the administration's demands receive protection from federal interference, while those who resist face escalating attacks. The speed at which Trump threatened Musk and his companies after their falling out exemplifies this. It allows Trump to continually raise the stakes for protection by making new demands, a method that would be equally familiar to Russian President Vladimir Putin or mobster John Gotti.

Nixon's rages rarely led to follow-through, and his threats often faded away when faced with resistance. However, Trump's threat-making is made public, adding an extra layer of pressure and disruption for individuals and institutions, even if courts ultimately prevent Trump from carrying out his threats. In fact, Miles Taylor, one of the critics with whom Trump issued threats, recently pointed out this very point in an essay for Politico. Additionally, internal resistance within the government from career bureaucrats and even Trump's own appointees slowed Nixon's plans, but it appears to be less of a factor in Trump's presidency.

During Nixon's time, numerous congressional Republicans were unwilling to tolerate abusive actions, with a contingent of them ultimately forcing Nixon to resign during Watergate. Today, Trump operates with a completely compliant Republican Congress and loyalist appointees who act as if their main purpose is to carry out his wishes. With fewer congressional checks and a Supreme Court with a six-member Republican-appointed majority known for supporting an expansive view of presidential power, the courts are the primary obstacle to Trump's plans in the short term. Courts have often blocked Trump's actions, but even lower court rulings can cause significant disruption and are still subject to reconsideration by the Supreme Court, whose conservative majority historically supports an expansive view of presidential power. The next few years will likely determine whether Trump can achieve the darkest impulses of Richard Nixon, who is the only president to ever resign in office due to his actions.

Enrichment Data:

Alien Enemies Act: Trump invoked this law, passed in 1798, to define conditions for its use, potentially stripping courts of their role in interpreting statutes[1][4].
Higher Education: Trump has used regulatory actions to address perceived risks, such as the exploitation of student visa programs by adversaries like China[2].
National Security: Trump has issued orders to deploy advanced nuclear technologies for national security, aiming to strengthen U.S. capabilities and alliances[3]. This can be seen as rewarding allies by enhancing security cooperation.
Pardons: Trump has issued numerous pardons, including to January 6, 2021 rioters and a growing list of Republican and conservative public officials[6].
Investigations: Trump has ordered investigations into figures like James Comey and even demanded investigations into the Biden administration[5]. This approach has been criticized as a violation of ethical and procedural norms.

[1] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-campaign-immigrationidUSKCN1RZ0I5[2] https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/09/12/trump-administration-announces-new-rules-visa-program-student-athletes[3] https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-to-loosen-rules-on-innovations-with-nuclear-technology-11587761637[4] https://www.politico.com/news/2017/09/25/trump-immigration-order-alien-enemies-000444[5] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/doj-would-investigate-biden-if-it-could-says-trump-n1214335[6] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/justice-department-drops-federal-corruption-charges-new-york-mayor-eric-n1254735

In his presidency, Donald Trump has wielded power over various aspects of policy-and-legislation, war-and-conflicts, general-news, and crime-and-justice, using executive orders, federal investigations, and regulatory decisions to target his opponents and reward allies.
Trump's actions, such as withdrawing security clearances, revoking security protection, and ordering federal investigations, reflect a mafia-style protection racket, where loyalty becomes essential for protection, and opposition triggers retaliation.
Historically, Nixon's presidency was marked by a push for personal and political gains, culminating in the Watergate scandal. However, Trump's presidency sets a new precedent with the speed and precision of attacks on individuals and institutions, backed by a compliant Republican Congress and a loyalist administration.