During last week, Donald Trump pointed out a desire to ruler Like a strong man rather than a president forced by constitutional standards. Last Friday, Vice-President of Trump, JD VANCE, scolded the democratic allies of NATO and encounter With the head of the AFD party on the far right of Germany. Trump Saturday declared On social networks: “He who saves his country does not violate any law.” Tuesday, Trump blame Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy For the brutal war launched by the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. “You should never have started,” said Trump about Zelenskyy, while in fact Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The American president then doubled the quarrel on Wednesday, Call Zelenskyy a “dictator”.
Democrats are in the minority in both the House and the Senate, which means that the Federal Courts and the Republicans of the Congress are the only railing of the second term of Trump. Until now, the justice system seems to be held – although a Supreme Court full of Trump is now intended to reign over all kinds of excessive pretended in the coming months. (And this is an open question as for If Trump will really respect by decisions that go against him.)
The Republicans at the Congress, however, have always folded – approves all the choices of Trump’s office, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. And Tulsi Gabbard, With only a low breath of action on some of their history of limits sculpture. Confirmations of short-circuit of many democratic observers, but the titles which have recently been Republicans have even denounced the apparent erosion of checks and counterweights in recent weeks.
“These are the heirs of the greatest generation, and they turned out to be the worst generation,” says Stuart Stevens, which was chief strategist on Mitt Romney2012 presidential campaign and has since left the GOP, joining the Lincoln anti-Trump project as a principal advisor. “It is tempting to compare the Republicans to the Prussian aristocrats in Germany in the 1930s. But the Prussian aristocrats were more responsible. They faced civilian troubles and the threat of communist control. Republicans now have historically low unemployment, a record stock market. What is their excuse?
Political survival is one. The Senate and the Republicans of the Chamber know that Trump orchestrate the functioning of a main challenger supported by Elon MuskUnlimited resources if a member challenges it. But it is not the whole history of republican submission to the president. In private, the Republicans speak of their fear that Trump could encourage his disciples to commit political violence against them if they did not move his actions.
“They are afraid of death threats and gestapo stuff,” said a former member of Trump’s first administration.
According to a source with direct knowledge of events, the Northern Carolina senator Thom Tillis People said that the FBI had warned him of “credible death threats” when he was considering vote against Pete Hegsethnominated for the defense secretary. Tillis finally provided the 50th crucial vote to confirm the first Fox and friends Host to direct the Pentagon. According to the source, Tillis said that if people wanted to understand Trump, they should read 2006 book Snakes in costumes: when psychopaths work. (When asked for comments for this story, a spokesperson for Tillis said he was wrong that the senator recommended the book as such. The FBI said he had no comments. ))
From the moment when Trump took his Gold Escalator in June 2015 to announce his first round to the presidency, he injected a threat into his political rhetoric. On the campaign track he spoke missing To strike the demonstrators in the face. During his first term, he rented Then representative of Montana Greg Gianforte to attack physically Tutor journalist Ben Jacobs In 2017. “Any guy who can make a snap of the body, he is my type!” Said Trump. (Gianfort pleaded later guilty To the tort attack and was sentenced to a deferred prison sentence of six months.) When demonstrations broke out after a minneapolis policeman murdered George Floyd in 2020, Trump called The “thugs” demonstrators and said: “When loot begins, the shot begins.” The sentence echoed a remark made in the 1960s by a Miami police chief associated with racial racial tensions in the city (Trump said he was not aware of his origins). In a September 2020 debate against Joe Biden, Trump refused to condemn white supremacist violence and told proud boys to “stand up and stand up”.
January 6 also catalyzed the fear of the GOP of violence inspired by Trump. Romney said his biographer, MCKAY COPPINS, That an underlying current of anxiety thwarted republican efforts to officially punish Trump for his role in the incentive to the riot. “A member of the Republican Congress told Romney that he wanted to vote for Trump’s second dismissal, but chose not to be afraid for the security of his family,” Coppins wrote in his book. “When a senator, a member of leadership,” said he was leaning against the vote to condemn, the others urged him to reconsider. You can’t do that, Romney remembers that someone said. Think of your personal safety, said another. Think of your children. The senator finally decided that they were right. »»
Former representative of Wyoming and Republican Anti-Trump eminent Liz Cheney said CNN that the members of the GOP in the Chamber told him that they were “afraid for their own security – in some cases, for their lives”. Representative Jason Crow Colorado said NBC News after January 6: “I had a lot of conversations with my republican colleagues last night, and some of them melted in tears – saying that they are afraid for their life if they vote for this indictment. “
Republican Peter Meijer, then a representative of Michigan, said Atlantic writer TIM Alberta In 2021, a colleague almost seemed to have a nervous breakdown on the fears of being injured by the supporters of Maga if he were to vote to certify the results of the 2020 elections: “He asked his new colleague if he was fine “Reported Alberta. “The member replied that he was not; Whatever his belief in the legitimacy of the elections, he could no longer vote to certify the results, because he feared for the security of his family. “Don’t forget, it was not a hypothetical. You voted for this vote after seeing with your two eyes what some of these people are capable of, ”explains Meijer. “If they are ready to come after you inside the American Capitol, what will they do when you are at home with your children?” “”
The mass forgiveness of Trump of the participants of January 6 recently carried out these events in republican minds.
“A guy sends a crowd to your workplace to kill you, and do you agree with that?” Stevens said to me, speaking of his frustration towards the Republicans of the Congress. Stevens says that the Clémences send the message to the Republicans that Trump will defend those who commit political violence on his behalf.
“I spoke to the donors of the Lincoln project,” explains Stevens. “They are powerful and rich people. And I can tell you that a percentage of them speaks of leaving the country. »»
“The republican party is united,” said a spokesperson for the White House.
However, some say that Republicans use threats of violence as a cover. Bill Kristol, The co -founder of The Never Trump Outlet The Bampwark, told me that the Republicans could ignore the threats if they wanted it. Kristol was subject to online harassment in early February after Elon Musk falsely promoted Complaints on X that Kristol has received money from USAID, the recently victim of foreign aid victim of the Ministry of Effectiveness of the Government.
“I have never read comments or notifications,” he said to me. “Senators can probably get a lot of protection if they need it, so I’m a little less sympathetic.”