How Donald Trump Uses Presidential Power to Protect Himself
July 26, 2025•291 words
“He governs not with laws but with threats, not with transparency but with secrets and this is how personal rule replaces constitutional rule.” - Jeffrey Toobin
“Abuse of power becomes normalized when leaders erase the line between self-interest and national interest and Trump has made that erasure his brand.” - Anne Applebaum
“Trump doesn’t see the presidency as a public trust but as a private inheritance something to be weaponized against critics and wielded for personal benefit.” - Masha Gessen
“When loyalty to an individual replaces loyalty to the Constitution, the erosion of democratic norms is not a possibility it is a certainty.” - David Frum
“What Trump understands is that the presidency can be used as both a sword and a shield, a platform from which to attack enemies and a fortress from which to evade accountability.” - Timothy Snyder
“The impulse to protect oneself at all costs, even through the machinery of the state, is a hallmark of autocracy not democracy.” - Ruth Ben-Ghiat
Having and building an image not only within America but worldwide...
Part president, part strongman, where no separation exists between public power and personal interest.
Weaponizing Regulatory Agencies to Silence Critics...
Merging Presidential Immunity With Private Lawsuits...
Alleged FBI Use to Shield Reputation...
Blurring the Line Between Personal and Presidential...
Undermining and defunding colleges and universities Institutions for Personal Gain...
Pardoning Allies to Prevent Testimony or Legal Fallout...
Firing and Intimidating Inspectors General and Whistleblowers...
Pressuring Foreign Governments for Personal Political Gain...
Using the Justice Department as a Personal Law Firm...
Declaring Emergencies to Bypass Congress...
Stockpiling and Hiding Records to Avoid Transparency...
Instigating Political Violence While Denying Responsibility...