"Before we detail them, it's important to remember that the power of the presidency was growing long before Trump. Under all five of the presidents the two of us have covered, we've seen an ever-expanding imperial presidency. But Trump has stretched both power and punishment routinely and, in some cases, dramatically. As we've written, the founders never envisioned a federal government this big and this powerful, or a president this unchecked."
"On MAGA stifling dissent, the insider said conservatives distinguish between the cancel culture they mocked and "consequence culture," where critics are being held to account for what they say or threaten, not what they think or believe. The adviser says Trump sees the small-c conservatives of the old Republican establishment, who spent decades pushing government restraint, as naive: "Congratulations on preserving your norms - while you're losing your civilization.""
Presidential power expanded before Trump across multiple administrations, creating an ever-expanding imperial presidency. Trump routinely stretched that power and used it to punish critics, free allies convicted of crimes, and police speech. Those actions established a payback precedent enabling current and future presidents to wield federal authority for retaliation and political protection. Insiders describe a mindset of never allowing free shots on goal and directing government action toward named targets. Some conservatives reframe punitive measures as a "consequence culture" distinct from cancel culture. The administration claims greater experience and unity to pull government levers to achieve objectives.
Read at Axios
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