Posted on 09/06/2025 3:21:49 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump, once a casino owner and always a man in search of his next deal, is fond of a poker analogy when sizing up partners and adversaries.
… Seven months into his second term, he has accumulated presidential power that he has used against universities, media companies, law firms, and individuals he dislikes. A man who ran for president as an angry victim of a weaponized “deep state” is, in some ways, supercharging government power and training it on his opponents.
And the supporters who responded to his complaints about overzealous Democrats aren’t recoiling. They’re egging him on.
“Weaponizing the state to win the culture war has been essential to their agenda,” said David N. Smith, University of Kansas sociologist who has extensively researched the motivations of Trump voters. “They didn’t like it when the state was mobilized to restrain Trump, but they’re happy to see the state acting to fight the culture war on their behalf.”
Trump began putting the federal government to work for him within hours of taking office in January, and he’s been collecting and using power in novel ways ever since. It’s a high-velocity push to carry out his political agendas and grudges.
This past month, hundreds of federal agents and National Guard troops fanned out across Washington after Trump drew on a never-used law that allows him to take control of law enforcement in the nation’s capital. He’s threatened similar deployments in other cities run by Democrats, including Baltimore, Chicago, New York and New Orleans. He also fired a Federal Reserve governor, pointing to unproven claims of mortgage fraud.
With that, the weaponization has come full circle. Trump is no longer surrounded by tradition-bound lawyers and government officials, and his instinct to play his hand aggressively faces few restraints.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Pretending they didn’t “weaponize the government” against Trump.
Gee AP, kind of like when Joe Biden and his goons had Trump’s house raided, kind of like that..gee AP, did you know the reason why biden did NOT pardon Merrick Garland was because he was upset with him for “Not going after Trump enough” as if having his house raided and trying to assassinate him TWICE wasn’t “Enough” so spare me your phony ass outrage Associated Hamas Depressed
Wow, where have I seen this before??
Nope. No bias there.
Suck on it, AP!
Have we ever gotten a full explanation for the antics of the Secret Service at Butler PA?
What hypocrites!!!!!
As we know, it’s never happened before.
Maybe we should audit the mortgage applications of the top few rungs of the AP.
“Trump is no longer surrounded by tradition-bound lawyers and government officials,”
The swamp. Trump 47 is way better and smarter than 45.
All that is necessary is to follow the basic missions of government three letter organizations. We just went through 12 years of subverting and/or ignoring missions.
BS
Anytime a Democrat speaks they are lying.
Their god is the party.
How Donald Trump is weaponizing the government to settle personal scores and pursue his agenda
The AP misspelled "Barack Obama" again!
Or maybe they meant "Joe Biden".
Self awareness is severely lacking for the author of this tripe.
Yeah, what’s not to like? 😁🥳🤸🤸🎈🎈🎈🎈✨✨
He didn’t complain when RATS attacked Trump with relentless phony lawfare suits, or that New York specifically changed the statute of limitations, and turned a misdemeanor charge to a felony, just to hook the President. RATS always change the rules to suit their need at a specific time. Then when that same rule change comes back and bites one of theirs on the ass, they claim it’s unfair.
“ The swamp. Trump 47 is way better and smarter than 45.”
That. Or it’s a long brilliant plan.
Trump is bitter and lashing out at his enemies. I love the guy.
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