Trump Aggressively Grabs Power from the Other Branches: A Video Roundup
Our mid-May collection of clips on the White House’s efforts to consolidate executive power
Dear Readers:
In his 1748 treatise The Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu wrote:
There would be an end to everything, were the same man or the same body, whether of the nobles or of the people, to exercise those three powers, that of enacting laws, executing the public resolutions, and trying the causes of individuals.
Echoed and further developed by eminent political theorists such as Thomas Paine, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton, the concept of separation of powers has formed the bedrock of the American constitutional order. It is woven into the very architecture of our governing framework.
And yet, we now find ourselves led by an aspiring authoritarian intent on steering us toward that “end to everything.” Trump has been arguing for a while that “when somebody is the president of the United States, the authority is total. And that’s the way it’s got to be.”
Only four months into his second term, Trump has taken giant steps toward realizing his dream and making himself the ultimate symbol of centralized authority.
In this week’s video roundup, we present to you three examples of the president’s efforts to usurp the powers of the other branches.
Watch and then follow/subscribe to our YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram pages to get our latest clips as soon as they’re released.
Landry Ayres
Senior Producer
Trump’s Library of Congress Takeover Means He Could Spy on Lawmakers' Research
May 23, 2025
Donald Trump’s attempted takeover of the Library of Congress isn’t about books—it’s about power. After firing Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, Trump tried to bypass the Senate and install his own loyalist, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, to oversee a vital legislative agency. That’s a direct assault on the separation of powers: the Library, and especially its Congressional Research Service, exists to serve Congress, not the executive. Giving Trump access to decades of confidential legislative research isn’t just improper—it’s a setup for political espionage and a breakdown of constitutional boundaries.
Watch it below or on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram.
Trump’s Chief Ghoul Stephen Miller Wants to Disappear You
May 14, 2025
The Trump administration’s push to suspend habeas corpus isn’t just unconstitutional—it’s authoritarian. Trump’s top adviser, Stephen Miller, is twisting the Immigration and Nationality Act to argue that immigration judges under the executive branch can detain migrants without judicial review, falsely claiming that this bypasses Article III courts. But the Constitution is clear: only Congress can suspend habeas corpus, and only in cases of rebellion or invasion—not as a loophole for mass deportations. This is a brazen attempt to eliminate court oversight and consolidate unchecked power in the hands of the president.
Watch it below or on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram.
The DOJ's Arrest of a Judge Is an Effort to Outmuscle the Judiciary
April 30, 2025
Last month, federal agents arrested Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan, charging her with obstruction and for shielding an undocumented immigrant, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, from detainment by ICE agents during a court appearance.
Prosecuting a sitting judge for what happened in her own courtroom is an extraordinary move and a blatant attempt to intimidate the judicial branch into going along with the administration’s plans.
Watch it below or on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram.
© The UnPopulist, 2025
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