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'I am not a dictator,' Trump says. Here's what 21st century dictators do
If anyone asks you what the faux-king dictator has done to deserve that title, here's a partial list:
https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/26/politics/what-is-a-dictator-trump-analysis
Taking power from Congress. Lawmakers are supposed to have the power to regulate international trade, but Trump wields tariffs as a weapon and sets the rates himself.
Expecting help from the courts. He has made clear that he expects the Supreme Court justices he appointed to fall in line with his challenges to the separation of powers, and they have frequently complied.
Installing loyalists. He is actively trying to deconstruct the federal bureaucracy and insisting that new bureaucrats express support specifically for his policy positions.
Controlling information. He fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics when he disapproved of a less-than-stellar jobs report. His administration has also tried to delete the very idea of climate change from the federal government.
More at link