Trump/GOP/Right-Wing Failures

The attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6 attack were the clearest democracy-threatening actions in the period.

Federal attempts to access voter rolls, voting equipment, and state election processes create a major tail risk for election administration.

Using government power to punish perceived enemies is a central democratic-backsliding risk.

The Proud Boys / alt-right violence network normalizes street intimidation, political violence, and movement defense of authoritarian politics.

Broad Jan. 6 clemency turns an attack on the transfer of power into forgiven movement violence.

Domestic military or Guard deployments over state/local objections risk normalizing federal force in political disputes.

Mass firing of inspectors general weakens anticorruption and accountability systems.

Monetizing political power through family business and crypto ventures creates severe conflict-of-interest and corruption perceptions.

Enemy-within rhetoric turns democratic opponents into existential threats and prepares the ground for retaliation.

Attempting to change birthright citizenship by executive order is a major constitutional boundary test.

Using emergency powers for sweeping tariffs tests Congress's constitutional trade and tax role.

Executive orders are normal, but high-volume unilateral governance can normalize ruling around Congress.

A convicted president damages trust, but the conviction itself is not an abuse of presidential power.