Trump’s Hostile Government Takeover Is Exactly What He Promised

Feb. 5, 2025, 10:00 AM UTC

President Donald Trump is using the early days of his term to expand the boundaries of the office — just like he said he would.

Trump’s first 16 days in office have been punctuated by unprecedented and power-consolidating moves — a hostile takeover of USAID and the Treasury payment system by Elon Musk; the pardoning of Jan. 6 rioters and the firing of Department of Justice attorneys who prosecuted them; the sacking of independent agency heads and inspectors general, and a freeze on federal grants, to name a few.

However, despite the magnitude of Trump’s actions, they’re hardly a surprise ...

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