September 8, 2025

President Donald Trump loves poker metaphors. He once said, "We have much bigger and better cards than they do," about China. Comparing the U.S. to Canada in June, he claimed, "we have all the cards. We have every single one." Talking to Ukraine's President, he bluntly said, "You don't have the cards." This shows how Trump sees power—as a game of cards he must gather and use. In his second White House term, Trump is doing just that. Seven months in, he’s stacking presidential powers and using them like weapons against universities, media groups, law firms, enemies, and even cities run by Democrats. What’s shocking? His strong supporters love it. "Weaponizing the state to win the culture war has been essential to their agenda," said sociologist David N. Smith. They cheered when the government pushed back against Democrats, even if they disliked it before. From the start of his term in January, Trump has used federal forces and law aggressively. Recently, hundreds of federal agents and the National Guard took control of Washington, using a rarely used law. He even threatened to send troops to Democrat-led cities like Baltimore and Chicago. He fired a Federal Reserve governor over unproven fraud claims too. Countless bold moves followed: He threatened to block the Washington Commanders' stadium unless they brought back a controversial old name. He revoked security clearances for lawyers he dislikes and cut billions from federal research. Under pressure, Columbia University paid $220 million to settle, the University of Pennsylvania erased records of a transgender swimmer, and leaders quit at the University of Virginia and Northwestern. He fired or shifted federal workers and dropped corruption charges against New York's mayor to get help against illegal immigrants. In media battles, Trump won costly settlements from news outlets with weak cases. His Attorney General, Pam Bondi, pushed for a grand jury to dig into investigations involving Trump’s Russia ties and appointed prosecutors to scrutinize political rivals. White House spokesperson Harrison Fields calls this "wielding power," not weaponization. Fields said, "The nation is witnessing the execution of the most consequential administration in American history... embracing common sense, putting America first." Trump's style is like no other president's. He boldly claims and uses power like a poker champ raising stakes. His loyal base, Congress, the Supreme Court, and institutions often give way to his will. The government has limits, but Trump has managed to break many traditional rules protecting balance. Steven Lukes, a top power expert, said Trump shows all kinds of power and introduced "epistemic liberation" – making up facts without care. "You can just say things that aren't true, and it doesn't matter to your followers," Lukes explained. Trump prefers memes and jokes over serious debates to spread his message. Ironically, Trump ran against government weaponization in 2024, calling himself a victim of "the Biden administration's weaponized Department of Injustice." But facing four criminal cases himself, Trump boasts about turning this power back on his enemies. "IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I'M COMING AFTER YOU!" he warned. Asked about responsible use of power, he said he wouldn't be a dictator "except on day one." Near election time, Trump softened these threats and promised to end weaponization. After winning, he declared, "Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents." But just a month later, he claimed: "I ended Joe Biden's weaponization soon as I got in." And told a conference, "We've ended weaponized government, where... a sitting president is allowed to viciously prosecute his political opponent, like me." Shortly after, Trump signed orders against law firms linked to Democrats and pushed investigations into officials from his first term. The cycle of weaponizing government power has come full circle. No longer held back by traditions, Trump is playing his cards boldly — rewriting the game of American power as we watch!

Read More at Economictimes →

Tags: Donald trump, Government weaponization, Power, 2024 campaign, Executive orders, Law enforcement,