Within the first six weeks of his second term, President Donald Trump has already put in place the bricks which will shape the country for generations. His speedily signage of more than 80 executive orders, gutting of key government agencies, and demonizing of immigrants who play crucial roles in American society all point to one thing: Trump is contorting the country in ways we’ve never seen before.
He’s joked about being a “dictator on day one” and even called himself a “king.” With that, many critics fear he’s gearing up to do a complete takeover of the government. Democrats are scrambling to react to Trump’s speedy takeover, but if they can’t keep up, many fear our democracy will be at risk.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) put it simply during a recent interview with NBC News. “When somebody is trying to destroy democracy, they benefit from people who are static, who refuse to be nimble,” he said. “Every Democrat could just continue to run in the same direction they’ve been running for the last 10 years. Or you could realize that this moment is different— that this threat is unique.”
For him, now is the only time to do something to stop the looming threat of democracy’s end. “To me, you know, we don’t have another year to fight this attempt to destroy democracy. Our democracy might be gone in six months,” he continued.
Trump has previously floated around the idea of winning a third term. “I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say, ‘He’s so good we’ve got to figure something else out,’” he said after his 2024 win. In response to Trump’s remarks, former White House Deputy Secretary Sarah Matthews said “with Donald Trump, I think that nothing should be taken unseriously.” She continued, “maybe there’s a chance that he means it. I highly doubt it, but I do think that it’s weird to joke about.”
The 22nd Amendment limits presidential terms to two, but with Trump already trying to get rid of birthright citizenship through the 14th Amendment, who’s to say he won’t go after another constitutional guarantee?
Clearly, Trump’s supporters are down for the ideal of having a forever president. Recently, a poster reading “For Trump 2028 ...And Beyond!” was displayed during the Conservative Political Action Conference. The poster captioned “Third Term Project,” even went as far as to show Trump in the likes of Julius Caesar, NBC News reported.
Ultimately, we’re talking about a convicted felon who’s been impeached not once but twice, meaning he’s one tough cookie to get rid of. These are unprecedented times under an unprecedented president, so the country will simply have to wait and watch for Trump’s next move.