(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .
The Tyranny of Trump: Will Americans Let His Tyranny Continue [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-03-19
Donald Trump loves to frame himself as a “wartime president,” bravely defending America from its enemies. But let’s be real—this isn’t war, it’s sabotage. Wars have battle lines, strategies, and opposing forces. Sabotage? That’s when a tyrant works from the inside, dismantling institutions and rewriting the rules to consolidate power. And make no mistake—Trump’s presidency has been a masterclass in tyranny, executed with the flair of a reality TV villain who refuses to leave the stage.
This rant explores how Trump’s embrace of the unitary executive theory—a fancy way of saying “I’m in charge of everything”—has solidified his role as a tyrant. His authoritarian tendencies have touched every corner of American life, turning Congress into his rubber stamp, the judiciary into an obstacle to be bulldozed, the media into a scapegoat, and average citizens into pawns in his game of tyranny.
What Even Is a Tyrant? And Why Is Trump One?
Tyranny, in its simplest form, is the unchecked exercise of power by a ruler who sees legal restraints as optional and opposition as something to crush. A tyrant seizes control, dismisses accountability, and rules in self-interest rather than for the people. Historically, tyrants have taken power through coups, manipulation, or brute force. Trump? He used a Twitter account, a compliant party, and a deep disdain for constitutional norms.
His presidency has been a relentless push to transform the executive branch into a one-man show, treating democracy like a personal brand to be licensed, monetized, and, if necessary, discarded. The way he wields power isn’t just authoritarian—it’s tyranny wrapped in a MAGA hat.
The Unitary Executive Theory: Tyranny, But Make It Legal
On February 18, 2025, Trump signed Executive Order 14215, a document that might as well be titled How to Be a Tyrant Without Calling It That. This order declares that only the President and Attorney General can interpret the law—everyone else must fall in line. Independent agencies? They now answer directly to Trump. Federal officials? They must obey or be replaced.
This is the essence of the unitary executive theory, a doctrine that gives a tyrant exactly what he wants: absolute power over the executive branch, unchecked by Congress, the courts, or even common sense. Under this theory, Trump has:
Fired independent officials and stacked agencies with loyalists.
Issued executive orders that ignore legislative authority.
Used obscure laws like the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to justify sweeping, tyrannical actions like mass deportations without due process.
His message is clear: tyranny thrives when power is centralized, opposition is silenced, and laws are reinterpreted to suit the whims of a single ruler.
Congress: The Tyrant’s Lapdog
Tyranny only succeeds when those in power let it happen. And Congress? Under Trump, it has been about as effective at checking tyranny as a wet paper bag is at holding water. Republican lawmakers, fearing primary challenges or mean tweets, have willingly ceded their authority to the tyrant-in-chief.
The result?
Trump controls spending decisions that should belong to Congress.
Oversight is a joke, with Republican leaders treating investigations like a formality.
Checks and balances eroded, making it easier for Trump to rule by decree.
John Locke, the philosopher who literally wrote the book on resisting tyranny, would be appalled. When a tyrant breaks the social contract between the government and the people, the governed have a right—even a duty—to resist. And yet, Congress has rolled over, letting Trump redefine what democracy looks like in his image.
Judiciary: When Tyranny Meets a Gavel
Trump's war on democracy extends straight to the judiciary because nothing irks a tyrant more than judges who refuse to bend their knees. His favorite tactics?
He is publicly attacking judges who don’t rule in his favor (calling them “radical left lunatics” or “deep state operatives”).
Ignoring court decisions that challenge his authority.
Packing the courts with ideologues who see him as a messianic figure rather than a tyrant.
This isn’t just bad governance—it’s textbook tyranny. The judiciary exists to check power, but under Trump, it has increasingly become a tool of executive control, endorsing his efforts to weaken oversight and cement his authority. If tyranny had a legal team, it would look like Trump's Supreme Court appointments.
The Media: Enemy of the Tyrant
Every tyrant needs a scapegoat, and for Trump, that’s the media. He has spent his presidency waging war against journalists, branding them “the enemy of the people,” a phrase straight out of a dictator’s playbook. His tactics include:
Threatening to revoke broadcast licenses for networks that criticize him.
Using the FCC to investigate public media outlets like NPR and PBS.
Encouraging legal action against journalists who report inconvenient truths.
Tyranny survives on misinformation, and Trump has worked tirelessly to discredit objective journalism. Under his rule, truth is whatever he tweets, and facts are dismissed as “fake news.” If tyranny had a press strategy, it would look exactly like Trump’s war on the media.
Average Citizens: Tyranny Hits Home
Tyranny isn’t just an abstract political concept—it has real consequences for everyday Americans. Under Trump, fear and repression have become governing tools:
Workers are subject to loyalty tests, with civil servants purged for not being sufficiently devoted to the tyrant.
Dissent is punished , with protesters surveilled, detained, or labeled as threats.
Social programs are gutted , with Trump’s policies deliberately undermining healthcare, education, and labor protections.
In short, tyranny isn’t just happening at the top—it’s reaching into the lives of ordinary people, making fear a standard feature of governance.
Foreign Policy: When a Tyrant Meets Other Tyrants
Tyrants love other tyrants. Trump has made no secret of his admiration for autocrats, from Vladimir Putin to Kim Jong-un. His foreign policy has reflected this preference, prioritizing personal relationships with strongmen over traditional alliances. The results?
Abandoning democratic allies while cozying up to dictators.
Undermining international institutions meant to hold tyrants accountable.
Making America look less like a beacon of democracy and more like an aspiring autocracy.
If there’s one thing history has taught us, it’s that tyranny unchecked at home emboldens tyranny abroad—and Trump has made sure both are thriving.
The Tyrant’s Favorite Weapon: Fear
Tyranny doesn’t just rely on laws and executive orders—it thrives on fear. Trump’s administration has used every intimidation tactic in the book:
Economic threats – Speak out, lose your job. Legal retaliation – Criticize him, get sued, be investigated, or be primaried. Public shaming – Become the next target of a presidential Twitter tirade.
The goal? To silence opposition before it can challenge his grip on power.
The Tyrant’s Legacy
Trump’s presidency has been a relentless push toward modern-day tyranny, dressed up as “America First” but functioning as democracy last. Through executive overreach, attacks on institutions, and a culture of fear, he has reshaped the government to serve his personal ambitions rather than the American people.
The question isn’t whether Trump is a tyrant—it’s whether America will let his tyranny continue. Because once a tyrant breaks democracy, it doesn’t fix itself. The only thing that stops tyranny is resistance. And as history shows, the longer a tyrant is allowed to rule unchecked, the harder it becomes to regain what was lost.
So, what’s it going to be, America?
[END]
---
[1] Url:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/3/19/2311383/-The-Tyranny-of-Trump-Will-Americans-Let-His-Tyranny-Continue?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web
Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.
via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/
