Instead of repeating his laissez-faire attitude toward his own administration, the Republican president is asserting control at every opportunity, backed up by loyalists at all levels of government.
Not only did Trump officials tell the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to stop working , his team set up a tip line so people could report unauthorized actions taken by staff at the agency. He made himself chairman. This time, Trump seems to be saying, his orders will not be ignored.
This time, there will be follow through. They say Trump is entitled to impose his vision on the government that he was elected to lead. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was created to protect Americans from financial fraud, abuse and deceptive practices, has been brought to a standstill. The U. Agency for International Development, a leading distributor of humanitarian assistance, was shut down. A prime target is the Department of Justice , which infuriated Trump by investigating him during his first term and after leaving office.
Last week, Bove pushed to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams, saying it was more important for Adams to help Trump enact stricter immigration policies. Several prosecutors in New York and Washington resigned in protest , and a court hearing is scheduled for Wednesday. Capitol on Jan. Hours after taking the oath of office a month ago, the president pardoned roughly 1, people, including those who attacked police officers.
Then his administration decided to push even further. Thousands of FBI employees are being questioned about their role in Jan. Olivia Troye, a former national security official who has been a critic of Trump, said staff members would confer with each other after meetings with the president.
