WASHINGTON (AP) — Seven months into his historic second term, President Donald Trump has transformed the American presidency by using its power more aggressively—and personally—than any leader in recent memory. No longer constrained by the legal checks, traditions, and norms that frustrated him in his initial stint in the Oval Office, Trump has bent federal authority to his will, targeting universities, media giants, law firms, and public figures he considers enemies or obstacles.

For supporters who once decried what they termed a “weaponized government” under previous administrations, Trump’s unapologetic use of federal power has become a central feature rather than a threat. Through a mix of laws, executive orders, and undeniable political force, Trump’s governance style has shifted the balance of power in Washington, raising urgent questions about lasting consequences to American democracy and the very fabric of its institutions.

The Aggressive Accumulation of Power

Immediately upon beginning his second term in January 2025, President Trump signaled a new era. By rapidly issuing executive orders and making strategic personnel changes, he has sought to carry out longstanding political agendas and, at times, personal grudges.

Among his most high-profile moves in 2025 and 2026:

• Deploying hundreds of federal agents and National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., under a previously unused law, after unrest and political protests; threats of similar action in Democrat-run cities like Chicago, Baltimore, New York, and New Orleans.
• Firing a Federal Reserve governor over allegations that remain unproven—a move without precedent in recent decades.
• Blocking the Washington Commanders’ stadium plan over refusal to restore its former, now-controversial team name.
• Revoking security clearances and government access for attorneys at law firms representing Democrats.
• Withdrawing federal research funds and threatening visas and funding for international students at elite universities, resulting in major policy reversals and high-profile resignations by university leaders.
• Ordering lawsuits and Justice Department investigations into officials and former rivals, such as New York Attorney General Letitia James and U.S. Senator Adam Schiff.

Supporters of the president, who once disdained government overreach, now cheer on these actions. As Dr. David N. Smith, a University of Kansas sociologist, observes: “Weaponizing the state to win the culture war has now become essential to their agenda. They disliked the ‘deep state’ under Democrats, but are enthusiastic about strong action fighting for their priorities.”

The Legal and Institutional Landscape

While the American presidency has always been a powerful office, Trump’s approach stands out for its willingness to bypass or dismantle traditional guardrails. Decades of precedent maintained a separation between personal, political, and public interests. Yet over the past year, that line has been repeatedly blurred.

Insiders and scholars cite the president’s “sixth sense for power”: combining executive maneuvers, personnel action, threats, and the enormous reach of the presidency to steer public conversation and institutional behavior. According to Steven Lukes, professor emeritus at NYU and author of “Power: A Radical View,” Trump employs “epistemic liberation”—asserting claims with little or no factual basis and using memes or public statements to shift public perceptions, often without formal argument or evidence.

Compounding these changes is a Congress and Supreme Court that have, for various reasons, often ceded ground to the executive. For example, in 2025–26, critical Supreme Court rulings limited the scope for judicial review of certain agency decisions and deferred to many aspects of presidential authority, shaping the environment in which Trump governs.

Weaponization as Political Rhetoric—and Practice

The idea that the government had been turned into a political weapon was central to Trump’s campaign in 2024. Positioned as a victim of the “Biden administration’s weaponized Department of Justice,” Trump built a powerful narrative around personal persecution in response to criminal indictments spanning multiple states.

Yet once reelected, the president wasted no time embracing the very tactics he once decried. Despite campaign-trail promises to end political prosecutions, Trump moved quickly to direct the Justice Department to investigate perceived adversaries and steer high-profile prosecutions and settlements. Notably, sweeping orders were issued to target law firms representing Democrats, and senior officials from his prior administration—such as former DHS official Miles Taylor and election security chief Chris Krebs—found themselves under renewed legal scrutiny.

White House spokesperson Harrison Fields described the presidency’s recent actions as “the most consequential administration in American history,” insisting Trump is executing the will of the people by “putting America first and fulfilling the mandate of the American people.” Critics, however, point to a pattern of personal retaliation and the chilling effect on dissenting institutions.

The Changing Constitution of Power

President Trump’s transformation of the executive branch is as much about soft influence—signaling, intimidation, and settlement negotiations—as it is about direct legal action. Recent months have seen an uptick in university settlements, resignations of high-profile critics from both academia and corporate America, and media organizations accepting multimillion-dollar settlements to avoid long court battles.

Perhaps most significantly, the Biden-era calls for “restoring the soul of America” and defending institutional norms have given way to a far more adversarial, zero-sum environment in which power is openly amassed and deployed to maximum effect. The result, according to political analysts, is a cycle of political weaponization that may fundamentally alter the expectations and restrictions on future presidents of either party.

Broader Implications for American Democracy

Scholars warn that the presidency’s expansion under Trump may be more durable than previously imagined. Constitutional limits, while tested, remain—yet the willingness to ignore or reshape them has set new precedents. With key U.S. allies and adversaries watching, the impact on governance, civil society, and America’s global example is profound.

Polls from mid-2025 indicate Americans are evenly divided. Support among Trump’s base has hardened: AP-NORC polling from July 2025 shows 86% of self-identified Republicans approve of his forceful actions, while 78% of Democrats express “grave concern” about democratic backsliding. Independent voter sentiment remains pivotal, with many expressing weariness at what they see as escalating cycles of retaliation between parties.

As the 2026 midterms approach, legal challenges to the president’s policies are mounting, but many observers note that federal courts have been reluctant to directly challenge executive authority. The evolving situation is likely to shape American politics—and debates about democracy and government power—for years to come.