As the Trump administration enters its second year, Trump continues to push his strategy of executive aggrandizement, reducing institutions independence and eliminating competition. The administration has attacked any form of dissent, including the media, legislative branch, and even Olympic athletes. Trump views opposition as “seditious” and displays clear signs of dismantling the institutional guardrails that prevent democratic backsliding.
The Trump administration displays the warning signs of an authoritarian leader. Levitsky and Ziblatt identify four behaviors of an authoritarian leader: rejects, in word or action, the democratic rules of the game, denies the legitimacy of opponents, tolerates or encourages violence, and indicates a willingness to curtail the civil liberties of opponents, including the media. The president’s actions fulfill all four of these identifiers, and the administration’s crackdown on dissent includes all of these signs.
The rejection of dissent has become a tool to increase the cost of opposition. For example, libel lawsuits take time and resources from the opposition, even if the Trump Admin doesn’t win the case. Despite these cases being legal, it is the process of slowly undermining democracy and preventing opponents from engaging in a fair playing field.
In November 2025, 6 members of Congress shared a video informing troops of their right to refuse illegal orders. In response, Trump called the message “Seditious behavior, punishable by death!” The Trump administration tried to indict these members, however the Grand Jury recently denied it. Although unsuccessful, this attempt to punish members of legislation for lawfully speaking out is an example of how Trump has tried to weaponize the justice system against any opponents.
An even more alarming example of how Trump has eroded the Department of Justice is the recent testimony of Attorney General Pam Bondi on the Epstein Files. The original non-partisan DOJ has now become integrated with the Trump Administration, no longer maintaining its institutional independence. During her testimony, Bondi used tactics of evasion, aggression, and loyalty to Trump.
Bondi dismissed Representative Thomas Massie’s concerns as “Trump derangement syndrome” and verbally assaulted Representative Jamie Raskin, labeling a Harvard-trained lawyer a “washed-up loser”. This type of response to opponents asking completely legitimate questions signals a step away from mutual toleration. Bondi criticized representatives for “attacking” the president, asking them to apologize. Additionally, she “placed blame for missed opportunities in the investigation on her Biden-era predecessors,” furthering the Trump administration’s loss of mutual toleration. The Attorney General’s intense display of loyalty highlights that the Justice Department can no longer serve as a check on executive power, emphasizing the erosion of democracy.
Trump has also fought dissent by means of the media, threatening and forcing obedience from countless news outlets. The administration’s campaign against the media mirrors the strategies used by illiberal leaders in Hungary, Turkey, and India. The administration has used financial and legal consequences to weaken and censor the press. In the fall of 2025, ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel for his remarks on Charlie Kirk’s death. This came after Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr warned Kimmel, saying “”We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” Kimmel’s suspension is in addition to several other media outlets canceling endorsements and accepting settlements, including the Washington Post, Meta, and ABC. With Trump gaining more control over these private media outlets, free speech is impeded and news is no longer a trusted source.
But Trump’s crackdown on dissent doesn’t stop at government officials and media outlets, with US Olympians at the 2026 Milan Winter Games facing backlash for speaking out about the current administration. American skier Hunter Hess said he had mixed emotions about representing the US under the current political state. In response, conservatives have reacted strongly, condemning the athlete. Trump himself spoke out, calling Hess a “real loser” and “saying it was difficult to support American athletes who publicly questioned his administration’s policies.” This worldview frames representing the United States as synonymous with representing the Trump administration. Trump’s response once again highlights his populist behavior, equating an attack on him to an attack on America as a whole.
Trump has exhibited populism since his first term. In a 2017 tweet, he wrote “The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!” In reacting this way, Trump is promoting the idea that anyone opposed to his administration is essentially an enemy of the state. It further polarizes the people, undermines democracy, and delegitimizes the opposition.
The aggressive crackdown of the Trump Administration is not something that can be overlooked, the rejection of dissent is a threat to democracy. By weaponizing the law, intimidating the media, and demanding absolute loyalty from government officials, the administration is following a recognizable path toward autocracy. People must continue to speak out against these undemocratic practices and hold the administration accountable before Trump takes even harsher action to consolidate power.
Overall I really liked your post. I think the discussion surrounding executive aggrandizement is especially compelling, as it points to democratic backsliding being a continuous process rather than a one-off event. I also talked about hostility towards the press in my post, and I think its definitely a solid indicator of changing in acceptable political norms. By targeting and attempting to control the media directly the President is able to sew ideas of illegitimacy in the media to the people, which we know can be very damaging. I like how you brought up the guardrails of democracy and I think its going to become even more important to see resilience of these systems to protect against democratic erosion.