WASHINGTON (AP) — A few months into his presidency, Donald Trump expressed his outrage over the escalating Russia investigation and instructed White House Counsel Don McGahn to ensure that special counsel Robert Mueller was dismissed.
“Mueller must go,” McGahn shared Trump’s words. “Call me back when it’s done.”
However, McGahn did not comply, and Trump did not bring it up in their subsequent meeting. Such instances were frequent during Trump’s early days in the White House, where officials often tempered or disregarded his more extreme directives, and the president seemed reluctant to impose his authority.
It’s difficult to picture a similar scenario occurring during Trump’s second term. Instead of maintaining a hands-off approach towards his own administration, the Republican president is now asserting his authority at every turn, supported by loyalists across all government levels. Despite moments of chaos and uncertainty, there’s a steadfast determination to overcome any hurdles.
Trump aims not only to alter the course set by Joe Biden’s presidency, his administration is withholding congressionally authorized funding that was advocated by his predecessor.
Not only did Trump’s team instruct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to cease operations, but they also established a tip line for reporting unauthorized actions taken by agency staff.
Trump’s ambitions went beyond merely dismissing the board members at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; he appointed himself chairman.
In this instance, Trump appears to be declaring that his commands will not be disregarded. This time, there will be follow-through.
The White House encapsulates Trump’s strategy with the slogan “promises made, promises kept.” Officials downplay fears that the president is exerting excessive control, arguing that he has the right to implement his vision for the government he was elected to steer.
Others perceive a more troubling and sinister outlook for the nation and its future.
“Donald Trump’s instincts remain unchanged,” stated Timothy Naftali, a historian at Columbia University. “He’s simply angrier, harsher, and more effective than during his first term.”
During his first term, Trump often felt thwarted by the “deep state,” a term used by his supporters to refer to civil servants and career officials. Now, he is rapidly reducing the federal bureaucracy with the assistance of Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur enlisted to manage the workforce reduction.
“We’ve never seen a president enter office with such a profound desire for revenge,” Naftali remarked. “Donald Trump is attempting to dismantle institutions that he believes have embarrassed him.”
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, established to safeguard Americans against financial fraud, abuse, and deceptive practices, has effectively been paralyzed. The U.S. Agency for International Development, a primary supplier of humanitarian aid, has been closed.
A key target is the Department of Justice, which antagonized Trump by investigating him both during his first term and after his departure from office. He faced two indictments from federal authorities, though the cases were dismissed following his election victory last year as sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted while in office.
Now, Trump has positioned loyalists in significant roles, such as Emil Bove, the acting deputy attorney general who previously served as Trump’s defense attorney.
Last week, Bove advocated for dropping corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, arguing that it was crucial for Adams to assist Trump in implementing stricter immigration policies.
“The ongoing prosecution has unduly hindered Mayor Adams’ capacity to focus his attention and resources on the illegal immigration and violent crime that surged under the prior Administration’s policies,” Bove conveyed.
Several prosecutors in New York and Washington resigned in dissent, and a court hearing is set for Wednesday.
Trump asserted that he was not involved in the decision to dismiss the case against Adams, yet he has previously stated that the mayor was unfairly targeted for political motives.
Another instance of Trump’s authoritative approach can be seen in his management of criminal charges against supporters who invaded the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Hours after being sworn in a month ago, the president pardoned approximately 1,500 individuals, including those who assaulted police officers.
Moreover, his administration has decided to go a step further. Thousands of FBI employees are being interrogated about their roles in the January 6 investigations, with indications that they might face punitive actions.
Bove stated that agents “who merely executed orders and fulfilled their duties ethically” are not in jeopardy, asserting that “the only individuals who should be concerned … are those who acted with corrupt or partisan intent.”
This marks a stark contrast from Trump’s first presidency, which included numerous establishment figures who resisted his urges.
Olivia Troye, a former national security official critical of Trump, recounted that staff members would confer with one another following meetings with the president.
“Why don’t you hold off on that before proceeding and let’s see what unfolds,” Troye remembered people suggesting. “Let’s see if it passes.”
The mixed signals stemmed in part from inexperience. The president and some advisers had never held government roles.
“During the first administration, to be honest, they had no clue what they were doing,” Troye stated. “Now they have personnel in place who were there previously. They’ve been preparing for action for several years.”
Trump has adopted an aggressive strategy to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, commonly referred to as DEI. He has issued executive orders to abolish these programs, but that has not sufficed for his administration.
Messages disseminated by the Office of Personnel Management, the federal government’s human resources arm, instructed employees not to attempt to “cloak these programs with vague or misleading terminology.”
Anyone who suspects the existence of DEI initiatives should report it immediately.
“There will be no negative repercussions for timely reporting this information,” the messages noted. “However, failure to disclose this information within ten days may lead to adverse consequences.”
