Trump's Authoritarian Tactics: Strength or Vulnerability?

The article questions whether President Trump's assertive actions, often perceived as power grabs, are ultimately weakening his position rather than strengthening it. The author, Jan-Werner Müller, a professor of politics at Princeton University and Guardian US columnist, suggests that the debate often focuses on whether these moves signal strength or desperation, but argues the question itself may be flawed. Müller posits that Trump's distinctive governance style, characterized by prioritizing loyalty over competence and tactics like 'flooding the zone' with scandals, could simultaneously serve to consolidate an autocratic regime while creating specific vulnerabilities for it. He emphasizes the need to identify these weaknesses rather than being overwhelmed by Trump's boldness. The piece contrasts contemporary aspiring autocrats with those of previous eras, noting that modern autocrats often attempt to deceive both domestic and international audiences into believing that democracy and the rule of law persist. Viktor Orbán, the recently deposed Hungarian prime minister, is cited as an example of this technique, having spent years performing what he termed 'the peacock dance' to persuade the European Commission and Chancellor Angela Merkel that he was not establishing a kleptocratic autocracy.