Few people would disagree, setting aside steadfast supporters and deliberate naysayers, that the primary goal of President Trump seems to be the establishment of something akin to a personalistic autocracy where his personal desires and instincts dictate policies and commands. However, how he has been endeavoring to accomplish this objective has been somewhat inconsistent. Trump embarked on a bewildering blitzkrieg strategy, seeking to subdue public opinion with shock and surprise.
His executive orders have had a broad reach, affecting various facets of civil society and putting states, municipalities, academic institutions, and law firms on the defensive. The ‘Department of Government Efficiency’, formerly led by billionaire and ally Elon Musk, has reportedly swept through the federal government, causing significant disruption. Thousands of civil servants lost their jobs, vital state functions were impaired, and various agencies were wiped out; among the casualties was the U.S.A.I.D., a situation that could potentially result in the loss of countless lives globally.
Recently, the president has shifted his focus to immigration enforcement in cities that are known to lean Democratic. Los Angeles is a perfect case study, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been active in identifying and apprehending individuals potentially lacking proper legal status. The president has surged National Guard troops and Marines into the city, claiming the need to quell rioting and protest-induced violence. Furthermore, similar interventions have been threatened for cities like Chicago and New York.
Interestingly, the next two states in the United States with the largest populations of undocumented immigrants after California are Texas and Florida. Nevertheless, by working under an apparent philosophy of bifurcated treatment predicated on political affiliation – ‘for allies there is leniency, for adversaries the full brunt of the law’ – both states have seemingly been exempted from the White House’s aggressive deportation program due to their Republican state leadership.
Both the intensified ICE operations and the deployment of military personnel ostensibly meant to counter protests, were originally aimed at rallying public support for the administration by creating a common enemy depicted as crime and societal chaos. Also, the military parade orchestrated by the president, which eerily resembled displays seen in authoritarian regimes like Russia or North Korea, was expected to be a testament to Trump’s popularity and an exhibition of his purported nearly transcendent bond with the American people.
However, the reality has been quite the reverse. Instead of rallying the public behind him, the president’s daring attempt to enforce his unilateral vision on the nation has, by and large, sparked opposition and a backlash. Rather than winning hearts and unifying the populace, these tactics seem to have contributed to an atmosphere of division and disquiet.