John Kelly, the former Marine general who served as Donald Trump’s second chief of staff, believes the former president “falls into the general definition of ‘fascist.'” Gen. Mark Milley, whom Trump appointed as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, goes a step further, stating that his ex-boss is “fascist to the core.”
Pushing back against these claims, John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, argues that the Republican presidential candidate lacks the thoughtfulness required to be a fascist. Bolton’s perspective appears more accurate: Trump’s beliefs, blending long-standing authoritarian tendencies with politically expedient stances of more recent origin, do not demonstrate any cohesive principle beyond self-interest.
The inconsistency in Trump’s ideology is mirrored in the disjointed nature of his speeches, which during rallies and interviews carelessly shift from one topic to another without clear rationale. His sporadically capitalized social media tirades resemble eccentric emails destined for the trash, composed by an unstable individual you would avoid in public.
Trump’s vanity, pettiness, and dishonesty are notable even for a politician. Throughout his tenure, he habitually lied, starting with his self-aggrandizing assertions about his inauguration crowd size and culminating in his insistence, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that he had won reelection.
This second falsehood transitioned from comedy to tragedy. Initially, I believed that Trump would eventually come to terms with reality when he began asserting that he could not have been rejected by voters.
That reconciliation never occurred. Trump’s reckless behavior before, during, and after the Capitol riot, where supporters incensed by his election theft delusion violently disrupted the congressional certification of Joe Biden’s victory, validated his second impeachment and should have rendered him unfit for any future federal office.
Trump refused to adhere to the rules, conduct that would have resulted in his expulsion from my weekly poker game. The standards for the presidency should be no less stringent.
These regulations encompass not only acknowledging election outcomes but also respecting the constitutional limits on presidential authority. Regardless of your stance on Kelly and Milley’s characterization of Trump, this aspect remains true: Trump not only disregarded those constitutional boundaries; he failed to grasp the concept that his subordinates owed a higher allegiance than blind obedience to his desires.
Supporters who defend Trump’s authoritarian tendencies during his first term as inconsequential now face a different scenario for several critical reasons.
Firstly, Trump has amassed more grievances against the political adversaries he holds responsible for his persecution. He has frequently threatened to retaliate against these “internal enemies” if he regains power, whether through legal inquiries, revocation of broadcast licenses, or other avenues of retribution.
Secondly, the U.S. Supreme Court has endorsed an expansive interpretation of presidential immunity from criminal culpability for “official acts.” This immunity explicitly covers a president’s interactions with the Justice Department, a primary method through which Trump could make life difficult for his critics.
Thirdly, during his first term, Trump was restrained by moderate voices that are unlikely to wield influence in a potential second term. To illustrate this point, Boris Epshteyn, an attorney integral to Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, is reportedly under consideration for White House counsel.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, who resisted Trump’s pressure to intervene in the January 2021 electoral vote count, has criticized his ex-boss for urging him to subvert the Constitution. In contrast, Pence’s successor, Sen. J.D. Vance (R–Ohio), expresses willingness to comply with Trump’s directives.
These circumstances do not bode well for a potential second Trump term. Dismissing his threats of retaliation as mere bluster is perilously assuming that he does not intend to follow through on his words.
© Copyright 2024 by Creators Syndicate Inc.
