Assaulting the Right
Donald Trump declares war on Republicans
Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed. Consequently he who molds public sentiment, goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces decisions.
—Abraham Lincoln, August 31, 1858
If I were Donald Trump, I’d do exactly as he is now in putting forward figures like Tulsi Gabbard, Kristi Noem, Pete Hegseth, Robert Kennedy Jr., and Matt Gaetz for appointments in his new administration. And the reason is not to outrage Democrats (though that’s a side benefit) than it is to cow Republicans. Trump is in a very powerful position right now, and the risk of opposing him will be great in terms of the wrathful MAGA electorate, which has been intimidating GOP elected officials for a decade. If Trump can force any last resistance within his own party to capitulate—and it really looks like he will—it will augment his power still further. It will also weaken the Senate as the more moderate wing of the legislative branch while cementing what might otherwise be a wavering House majority. This could be a key moment in the creation of a Congressional rubber stamp.
One of the most striking aspects of Donald Trump’s success is the way in which different branches have passed the buck in opposing him. Congress didn’t convict Trump in the aftermath of January 6, hoping the courts would do it. The Justice Department of the Executive Branch stalled in prosecuting him, hoping the voters would make him go away. The Supreme Court declined to enforce accountability, figuring it’s up to Congress to make laws. All of which began with Trump’s quest to conquer the GOP, a process that is now moving beyond the political into the administrative apparatus of government itself.
The only remaining, if amorphous, source of resistance is public opinion. In the short run, that’s unlikely to mobilize, or mobilize effectively. Trump will have to take a step that’s a bridge too far in terms of something that affects everyday life for everyday Americans, or perhaps an external event like an economic or foreign policy crisis will prompt mass opposition. He’s likely to meet such resistance by force. It will come down to how much determination and discipline the people will have.
