Donald Trump‘s plans could shake America’s democracy to its foundations. With controversial personnel decisions and a strategy of division, he is heading towards a takeover of power that could radically change the country.
When Joe Biden met his predecessor and successor in office in the Oval Office this week in front of a flickering fire in the fireplace, the nation should be reassured. The US President wanted to show with his gesture that democratic norms apply to him. He couldn’t do much more at that moment. But the contrast to Donald Trump couldn’t have been greater. Because he had refused this transfer of power four years ago. After the chaos of January 6, 2021, Trump simply disappeared to Florida – without a fireside chat.
But Joe Biden’s almost penetrating laugh and the decidedly peaceful handshake of the two statesmen are actually an illusion. In parallel to this seemingly non-partisan production, Trump and his “Transition Team” are working on a government reorganization the likes of which America has probably not seen in 100 years. This is about more than just a supposed reduction in bureaucracy. Trump’s plan to infuse the government, legislature and judiciary with loyalists is well underway and likely to be successful.
Video | Biden promises Trump a smooth handover of office
What: Reuters
This is currently particularly reflected in his appointments to his future cabinet. Whether it is his desired new Attorney General Matt Gaetz, his new intelligence coordinator Tulsi Gabbard, his new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth or his new Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – Trump’s decisions often fall on his most controversial allies. On people who even cause turmoil within their own party. This time he apparently wants to have private companies carry out the usual security checks for new government members by the FBI. Trump wants to control but avoid being controlled.
The actions of this second Donald Trump are deeply insightful. Because he is obviously willing to exceed the limits of what is acceptable like never before, his true pattern is becoming apparent: Trump is relying on division and chaos like never before. He is betting on the destruction of the exemplary system that has controlled American presidents for almost 250 years. And he pursues several strategies.
By proposing candidates for his cabinet who simply seem intolerable, the future president is testing the loyalty of Republican senators. Anyone who stands in the way of his nominations should be politically sidelined. “Then we will remove you from the Senate”: Threats like these are made openly by senators loyal to Trump.
Trump is also planning to circumvent the actual confirmation of his government team by the Senate with an outdated regulation. Anyone who does not take part in this project must fear for their re-election. Ultimately, behind all these maneuvers is not just the desire to be able to rule without resistance. With such loyalty traps, Trump wants to destroy the last remnants of the “Grand Old Party” (GOP) and make his “Make America Great Again” movement all-powerful. Intra-party democracy only gets in the way.
Even before the start of his term in office, Trump’s understanding of government is one of constant provocation. Even in his first term in office, his power was often based on chaos and not on design. This has two advantages for him:
Firstly, the constant public outcry distracts from the promises that he actually has to keep. Secondly, he always has convenient scapegoats who thwart his brilliant plans: opponents in his own ranks, the media, the Democrats, the so-called “deep state”, i.e. the administrative level. Everything that goes wrong in the coming years will be the fault of others and will serve to legitimize Trump to seize even more power. According to the motto: If you didn’t stand in the way, we would have long since reached the goal that Trump propagates as “a golden age”.
