Summary by James R. Martin, Ph.D., CMA
Professor Emeritus, University of South Florida
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According to David Frum, Trump would destroy the rule of law for his own survival. His administration’s priorities would include: Stopping all federal and state criminal and civil cases against Trump. Pardoning those who tried to overturn the 2020 Presidential election. Using the Department of Justice to attack Trump’s adversaries and critics. Ending the independence of the civil service, and firing federal officials who refuse to follow Trump’s demands. Ordering the military to crush any protests related to these actions or opposition to Trump. Most of Trump’s staff would support his dismantling of the institutional safeguards against his corrupt and vengeful impulses. In addition Trump would abandon the Ukraine to Putin, withdraw from NATO, and likely use the Insurrection Act to convert the military into a tool for his autocracy.
Sophie Gilbert argued that women will be targets to comply with Trump’s misogynist view that they should submit to their required social function. Zoe Schlanger wrote that climate denial will flourish. George Packer tells us that Trump will be more competent at undermining the free press in a second term. He would give important policy scoops to friendly publications. He would convince large numbers of Americans that the press deserves no special protection and that it is a corrupt racket producing fake news for self-serving elites. The press could even become irrelevant. To avoid this fate the press should investigate his presidency relentlessly including every obscure corner where power might be abused for the record, but the press can’t save democracy. The American people will have to do that.
Sarah Zhang wrote that when science gets in the way of his agenda, Trump would attack, distort, or block science altogether. The Trump administration would probably revive the crackdown on environmental science and target science policy such as regulation of abortion pills and the use of fetal tissue in research.
Franklin Foer argued that at the end of Trump’s presidency he had developed a play book for exploiting public office for private gain. He had become the first modern president to profit from a global network of businesses. Companies and other interest groups pumped money into Trump properties. For example when the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute wanted the administration to support a treaty that would help their interest they paid more than $700,000 to host an event at one of Trump’s golf courses. The Qatari government bought an apartment in one of Trump’s buildings in New York for $6.5 million. Trump’s properties charged the Secrete Service exorbitant rates for housing agents (e.g., $1,185 per night) when Trump or his family members stayed there. Trump got away with this because loyalty to Trump required indifference to corruption. This play book will no doubt be used in a second administration and likely grow into a systematic abuse of government with more expansive schemes to enrich Trump and his allies. A new personnel policy called Schedule F could be used to eliminate employment protections for thousands of tenured bureaucrats. This would allow him to fire civil servants who were not loyal to him. They could be replaced with a new class of bureaucrats who would exploit the government by handing contracts to firms who pay tribute at Trump properties. In this and other ways Trump will likely replace the current system of government with one that will line his own pockets.
Michael Schuman tells us that China will get stronger under a second Trump administration. Trump’s withdrawal from American global leadership encouraged Xi to promote China as a more responsible world leader. Trump’s return would jeopardize the united front that Biden has developed with the major democracies. Trump is less threatening to China than Biden and much more manageable.
Adam Serwer predicts that in a second Trump administration the Federal judiciary will continue to use the mode of conservative constitutional analysis referred to as originalism that supports interpreting the Constitution as it was understood at the time of its writing. The idea is to justify conservative outcomes by invoking the Framers. Although different meanings can be supported for most disputable propositions, when conservative originalists examine the Founders they only see themselves as if looking in the mirror. This is evident from their selection of evidence, motivated reasoning, overt partisanship, and recitation of personal grievances. Their conservative rulings have narrowed the fundamental rights of women, the LGBTQ community and ethnic minorities, supported law enforcement misconduct, restricted voting rights, limited federal agencies ability to regulate corporations, and helped businesses exploit their workers. In addition, Conservative judges are unlikely to resist Trump’s efforts to concentrate power in himself that will further weaken the separation of powers. Conservatism has become Trumpism.
Juliette Kayyem added that extremists will be emboldened and lead to even more extremism. Elaine Godfrey wrote that Trump would attempt to outlaw abortion everywhere. Megan Garber tells us that the truth won’t matter. Clint Smith adds that Trump will suppress American history and promote a version of American History without slavery, school segregation, critical race theory, gender ideology, or the importance of LGBTQ figures in the history of American activism. Instead children will be falsely taught that the United States has always been a beacon of righteousness.
A second Trump presidency would lead us down a dark path and produce results that could never be completely undone. It would convey the reality that a president can attempt a coup and still return to office to try again. Our Democracy will not survive unless all major participants commit to our democratic system of government. The following provides a summary of the differences between Biden and Trump on these issues.
Some Quotes about Trump from Members of His Administration (pp. 46-47)
"He is more dangerous than anyone could ever imagine." James Mattis, Secretary of Defense.
"He puts himself before country. His actions are all about him and not about the country." Mark Esper, Secretary of Defense.
"He will always put his own interest, and gratifying his own ego, ahead of everything else, including the country's interest." Bill Barr, Attorney General.
"The depths of his dishonesty is just astounding to me... He is the most flawed person I have ever met in my life." John Kelly, Secretary of Homeland Security and White House Chief of Staff.
"His understanding of global events, his understanding of global history, his understanding of U.S. history was really limited." Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State.
"The President has very little understanding of what it means to be in the military, to fight ethically or to be governed by a uniform set or rules and practices." Richard V. Spencer, Secretary of the Navy.
"President Trump and other officials have repeatedly compromised our principles in pursuit of partisan advantage and personal gain." H. R. McMaster, National Security Adviser.
"Anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be president of the United States... President Trump demanded that I choose between him and the Constitution." Mike Pence, Vice President.
"Trump has this impression that foreign leaders, especially adversaries, hold him in high regard, that he's got a good relationship with Xi Pinping, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un. In fact, the exact opposite true. I have been in those rooms with him when he's met with those leaders. I believe they think he is a laughing fool." John Bolton, National Security Adviser.
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* Goldberg, J. ed. 2024. If Trump Wins. (January/February). The Atlantic.
Related summaries:
Anonymous. 2019. A Warning: A Senior Trump Administration Official. Twelve: Hachette Book Group. (Summary).
Crossan, M., W. Furlong and R. D. Austin. 2022. Make leader character your competitive edge. MIT Sloan Management Review (Fall): 1-12. This article includes a leader character framework. (Summary).
Martin, J. R. Not dated. Shepard Fairey Political Posters.
Martin, J. R. Not dated. Summary of what Trump is and what he is not.
Martin, J. R. Not dated. Why I vote for Democrats.
Rosenfeld, G. D. (Editor) and J. Ward (Editor). 2023. Fascism in America: Past and Present. Cambridge University Press. (Summary).
Stanley, J. 2018. How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them. Random House. (Summary).
Thompson, B. G., L. Cheney, Z. Lofgren, A. B. Schiff, P. Aguilar, S. N. Murphy, J. Raskin, E. G. Luria and A. Kinzinger. 2022. Final Report of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capital. U. S. House of Representatives. U.S. Government Publishing Office, Washington DC. (Summary of Trump's Seven Point Plan to Overturn the 2020 Presidential Election).
Unger, C. 2018. House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia. Dutton. (Note).
