Trump Expands Presidential Power in First 100 Days

During Donald Trump's first 100 days back in the White House, he has notably expanded presidential power to unprecedented, almost imperial levels. Driven by grievances from his first term and the aftermath of the 2021 Capitol riots, Trump has aggressively consolidated White House control, including freeing hundreds of Capitol attackers and issuing a rapid succession of executive orders. Experts and historians describe 'Trump 2.0' as more authoritarian-minded than his previous administration, with a sustained effort to unwind constitutional safeguards. Trump has invoked old wartime laws to deport migrants en masse, threatened to extend such actions to U.S. citizens, and cracked down on perceived opponents in the judiciary, legal community, and media. He has also sought to overhaul the federal government, aided by high-profile allies, and replaced previously moderating advisers with more loyal and less experienced figures, exacerbating instability and unpredictability. This approach has led to concerns about both the erosion of democratic institutions and the destabilization of established global and domestic norms.