President Donald Trump gaggles with reporters while aboard Air Force One on February 6, 2026, en route to Palm Beach, Florida. | Samuel Corum/Getty Images
A little over a year into his second presidency, President Donald Trump has yet to turn America into a pure, uncut authoritarian nightmare — but not for lack of trying.
Back in January 2025, if you asked a liberal what the new Trump administration would do in the worst case scenario, they would probably have said things like:
• Bring bogus charges against its political enemies, up to and including Democratic lawmakers.
• Strong-ar...
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