How President Trump has challenged a constitutional foundation

In his first year back in the White House, President Donald Trump has presided over a sweeping expansion of executive power while eroding democratic norms.

Many scholars of democracy say that these moves are unprecedented in U.S. history and that Trump has pushed the United States toward authoritarianism.

The president and his supporters counter that the Constitution provides for precisely the type of muscular presidency he is exercising and that voters gave him a mandate to enact far-reaching changes to government.

Trump remains popular with his base, but most Americans disapprove of his job performance. The president's critics hope that waning popularity — as well as this year's midterm elections — will provide a stronger check on Trump.

So what has happened so far? From firing inspectors general, to sidelining Congress, to attacking the media to control information, Trump and his administration have moved at warp speed from the moment he was sworn in.

As Year 2 of his second term begins, we wanted to look at just some of the ways the president has expanded his authority beyond what his predecessors have done and how his administration has tested the constitutional foundations of the country.

Checks and balances

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Aided by a pliant Republican-led Congress, Trump and his administration have numerous times stretched the power of the executive branch into areas of governance normally reserved for the legislative branch. His aides have pulled back funds appropriated by lawmakers, who constitutionally control federal purse strings. The president has implemented sweeping foreign tariffs, using existing sources of authority in new, expansive ways. And his administration has remade or demolished whole federal departments.

Other checks on a president's power, such as federal inspectors general and agency appointees who previously were insulated from White House influence, have also been sidelined.

Freedom of speech and expression

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Trump has targeted freedom of speech, attempting to control and change information — often with misinformation and falsehoods — to push his views into the media, higher education, national museums and the arts. He has intimidated major news outlets, defunded public media and made it increasingly difficult for journalists to report on his government, even threatening to jail reporters who won't identify government sources. The Trump administration has sought to erase parts of American history in the nation's museums, and the State Department was instructed to reject visa applications due to some applicants' alleged roles in "censorship."

Rule of law

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Trump has bulldozed through a norm separating the White House and the Department of Justice, openly using the DOJ to pursue an agenda of retribution by seeking investigations and prosecutions of his political foes. He has liberally used the pardon power to the benefit of allies, including those who were convicted of violent crimes during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Federal judges have accused the Trump administration of defying their orders and rebuked the administration for aggressive immigration tactics and attempts to consolidate Americans' sensitive data. And while Trump says he is overseeing a return of law and order, he frequently uses inciting language himself.

Trump, family business and power

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Trump has taken other steps to consolidate power and demonstrate that he alone is in charge. His name and face seem to be everywhere. He receives fawning foreign visitors bearing gifts for him in a newly gold-adorned Oval Office.

And Trump continues to flex his power by mixing policy with the business interests of his family and allies, casting aside any ethical concerns.

Public health and science

The Trump administration has upended the institutions charged with protecting public health and conducting scientific research. Initiatives that once enjoyed bipartisan support and are the shared responsibility of the states and the federal government saw their funding slashed. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. led the overhaul of the children's vaccine schedule, sidelining expert advisers and slashing the number of recommended immunizations. There have been disruptions and turmoil for federally funded research, including at the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The administration abruptly halted USAID's global health work, which had saved millions of lives from scourges like AIDS, malaria and malnutrition over the course of six decades.

Ben Swasey, Yvonne Dennis, Kristian Monroe, Preeti Aroon, Pam Webster, Gerry Holmes, Pallavi Gogoi, Scott Horsley, Emily Kopp, David Folkenflik, Ciera Crawford, Matteen Mokalla, Jim Kane, Didrik Schanche, Elissa Nadworny, Steve Drummond, Diane Webber, Scott Hensley, and Sarah Knight contributed to this story. Design and development by Rahul Mukherjee and Alyson Hurt. Art direction by Danielle Scruggs and Emily Bogle.
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