WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is rapidly pushing past the conventional limits of presidential authority as he makes his return to the White House, drawing on his extensive history of testing boundaries in legal, business, and political arenas to expand his view of executive power.
He has launched an unprecedented series of executive orders that challenge anyone to intervene, aiming to restrict border immigration, alter birthright citizenship rights, and allow the continuation of the popular Chinese-owned app TikTok, disregarding existing laws that would shut it down.
As Trump’s opponents, including Democrats and civil rights advocates, prepare to take legal action against him, the protracted court battles could significantly delay any potential governmental pushback. In the meantime, Trump is crafting a new presidential blueprint that highlights the aggressive application of power within a democratic framework traditionally characterized by checks and balances.
“He’ll push it to the limit,” remarked Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama.
In his previous term, Trump attempted a similar strategy, though with mixed outcomes. This time around, however, he faces fewer constraints.
With his administration lacking many of the establishment figures who previously aimed to moderate his approach, and with a Supreme Court filled with conservative justices, Trump appears to have a clearer path ahead. Recent court decisions have ruled that presidents enjoy broad immunity from prosecution for any actions taken while in office. With Republicans firmly in control of Congress, most party leaders owe their positions in the majority to Trump’s backing or passive acceptance.
Demonstrating his dominance within the GOP, there was little to no pushback against Trump’s decision to pardon nearly all individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.
“We’re not looking backward, we’re looking forward,” stated Senate Majority Leader John Thune from South Dakota.
This situation aligns closely with the warnings voiced by Democrats during the previous electoral campaign, who asserted that Trump would act like a dictator if he returned to power. However, shortly after his inauguration, Trump dismissed such perceptions.
“No, no,” he said, shaking his head defiantly. “I can’t even fathom being described in that way.”
He resumed signing a series of executive orders arranged across the Resolute Desk.
Trump’s rapidfire approach didn’t take Barbara Res by surprise, who previously worked alongside him in his real estate enterprise.
“Politics is all about compromise, but business revolves around leverage,” Res stated. “He doesn’t believe in compromise.”
Though his roots are in real estate, Trump’s current method seems akin to the “move quickly and break things” philosophy often adopted by tech entrepreneurs, many of whom heavily supported his presidential campaign and attended his inauguration.
John Yoo, a law professor at Berkeley who previously sought to enhance presidential powers while serving under George W. Bush, described Trump’s executive actions as “unprecedented in both their extensive scope and sheer volume.”
While future presidents could easily overturn these executive orders, they may still lead to significant consequences immediately.
Yoo characterized Trump’s attempt to allow TikTok to remain operational, despite being labeled a national security risk by U.S. officials, as “legally tenuous.” Concerns revolve around the potential for the Chinese government to gain access to user data or manipulate content. A law signed by President Biden mandated that the app cease operations in the United States unless its Chinese parent company secured a new buyer by the day before Trump’s inauguration.
However, Trump instructed his Justice Department not to implement the ban, likening it to a student requesting an extension on an exam after the deadline.
He also appears determined to redefine the situation at the U.S. border, referring to incoming migrants as an “invasion.” Trump has commissioned the military to take “operational control” of the border, although military personnel are prohibited from engaging in law enforcement activities such as drug seizures or migrant apprehension.
“This has no historical precedent,” Yoo remarked. “It’s an extraordinary assertion of presidential power.”
Nearly twenty states are currently engaged in legal action against Trump over his executive order aimed at restricting birthright citizenship as part of his broader immigration agenda. Trump’s critics contend that the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to those born in the U.S., regardless of their parents’ immigration status at birth.
“Presidents possess significant power, but they aren’t monarchs,” emphasized New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, a Democrat.
Depending on the outcome of ongoing legal disputes, Yoo indicated that Trump could set a new precedent for future presidents.
“If he succeeds with just half of his executive orders, every subsequent president will aspire to do the same,” he noted.
It’s commonplace for presidents to test their authority, said Julian Zelizer, a historian from Princeton. For instance, Biden’s effort to extend federal student loan forgiveness was halted by the Supreme Court.
“But as with many things, Trump goes much further than others to gauge the limits of his power,” Zelizer added.
Res recalled similar tactics observed during her time at the Trump Organization, where Trump took pride in negotiating lower costs with contractors and leveraging local officials for favorable outcomes regarding his properties.
“No matter what was offered, he always wanted more,” she stated.
Res also remembered that Trump kept a black-and-white photo of attorney Roy Cohn, known for his tenacity, on his desk.
“He would display it while arguing with contractors, saying, ‘Here’s my lawyer; sue me,’” she recounted.
Trump’s ongoing challenge will be maintaining unity among Republicans in Congress, especially with some members indicating they may be willing to defy him.
Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine known for her independent views, expressed support for some of Trump’s executive measures, but added, “Others raise genuine concerns for me.”
Sen. Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California and a long-time challenger of Trump, criticized the scope of Trump’s actions as ranging “from blatantly unconstitutional—like the attempt to end birthright citizenship—to extreme measures, like mass deportations.”
He pointed out that even Trump’s proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico is “ludicrous.”
When questioned about Congress’s potential response to the new administration, Schiff admitted uncertainty.
“We’re about to find out,” he said.
He has launched an unprecedented series of executive orders that challenge anyone to intervene, aiming to restrict border immigration, alter birthright citizenship rights, and allow the continuation of the popular Chinese-owned app TikTok, disregarding existing laws that would shut it down.
As Trump’s opponents, including Democrats and civil rights advocates, prepare to take legal action against him, the protracted court battles could significantly delay any potential governmental pushback. In the meantime, Trump is crafting a new presidential blueprint that highlights the aggressive application of power within a democratic framework traditionally characterized by checks and balances.
“He’ll push it to the limit,” remarked Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama.
In his previous term, Trump attempted a similar strategy, though with mixed outcomes. This time around, however, he faces fewer constraints.
With his administration lacking many of the establishment figures who previously aimed to moderate his approach, and with a Supreme Court filled with conservative justices, Trump appears to have a clearer path ahead. Recent court decisions have ruled that presidents enjoy broad immunity from prosecution for any actions taken while in office. With Republicans firmly in control of Congress, most party leaders owe their positions in the majority to Trump’s backing or passive acceptance.
Demonstrating his dominance within the GOP, there was little to no pushback against Trump’s decision to pardon nearly all individuals charged in connection with the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.
“We’re not looking backward, we’re looking forward,” stated Senate Majority Leader John Thune from South Dakota.
This situation aligns closely with the warnings voiced by Democrats during the previous electoral campaign, who asserted that Trump would act like a dictator if he returned to power. However, shortly after his inauguration, Trump dismissed such perceptions.
“No, no,” he said, shaking his head defiantly. “I can’t even fathom being described in that way.”
He resumed signing a series of executive orders arranged across the Resolute Desk.
Trump’s rapidfire approach didn’t take Barbara Res by surprise, who previously worked alongside him in his real estate enterprise.
“Politics is all about compromise, but business revolves around leverage,” Res stated. “He doesn’t believe in compromise.”
Though his roots are in real estate, Trump’s current method seems akin to the “move quickly and break things” philosophy often adopted by tech entrepreneurs, many of whom heavily supported his presidential campaign and attended his inauguration.
John Yoo, a law professor at Berkeley who previously sought to enhance presidential powers while serving under George W. Bush, described Trump’s executive actions as “unprecedented in both their extensive scope and sheer volume.”
While future presidents could easily overturn these executive orders, they may still lead to significant consequences immediately.
Yoo characterized Trump’s attempt to allow TikTok to remain operational, despite being labeled a national security risk by U.S. officials, as “legally tenuous.” Concerns revolve around the potential for the Chinese government to gain access to user data or manipulate content. A law signed by President Biden mandated that the app cease operations in the United States unless its Chinese parent company secured a new buyer by the day before Trump’s inauguration.
However, Trump instructed his Justice Department not to implement the ban, likening it to a student requesting an extension on an exam after the deadline.
He also appears determined to redefine the situation at the U.S. border, referring to incoming migrants as an “invasion.” Trump has commissioned the military to take “operational control” of the border, although military personnel are prohibited from engaging in law enforcement activities such as drug seizures or migrant apprehension.
“This has no historical precedent,” Yoo remarked. “It’s an extraordinary assertion of presidential power.”
Nearly twenty states are currently engaged in legal action against Trump over his executive order aimed at restricting birthright citizenship as part of his broader immigration agenda. Trump’s critics contend that the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to those born in the U.S., regardless of their parents’ immigration status at birth.
“Presidents possess significant power, but they aren’t monarchs,” emphasized New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, a Democrat.
Depending on the outcome of ongoing legal disputes, Yoo indicated that Trump could set a new precedent for future presidents.
“If he succeeds with just half of his executive orders, every subsequent president will aspire to do the same,” he noted.
It’s commonplace for presidents to test their authority, said Julian Zelizer, a historian from Princeton. For instance, Biden’s effort to extend federal student loan forgiveness was halted by the Supreme Court.
“But as with many things, Trump goes much further than others to gauge the limits of his power,” Zelizer added.
Res recalled similar tactics observed during her time at the Trump Organization, where Trump took pride in negotiating lower costs with contractors and leveraging local officials for favorable outcomes regarding his properties.
“No matter what was offered, he always wanted more,” she stated.
Res also remembered that Trump kept a black-and-white photo of attorney Roy Cohn, known for his tenacity, on his desk.
“He would display it while arguing with contractors, saying, ‘Here’s my lawyer; sue me,’” she recounted.
Trump’s ongoing challenge will be maintaining unity among Republicans in Congress, especially with some members indicating they may be willing to defy him.
Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine known for her independent views, expressed support for some of Trump’s executive measures, but added, “Others raise genuine concerns for me.”
Sen. Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California and a long-time challenger of Trump, criticized the scope of Trump’s actions as ranging “from blatantly unconstitutional—like the attempt to end birthright citizenship—to extreme measures, like mass deportations.”
He pointed out that even Trump’s proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico is “ludicrous.”
When questioned about Congress’s potential response to the new administration, Schiff admitted uncertainty.
“We’re about to find out,” he said.
