Is Trump Literally Acting Like A Dictator?

[Rich Tator]

Are you personally thinking Trump is acting like a dictator, even more recently than before? Are many MAGA supporters (if you are one or know one) concerned he is grabbing power like dictators do?

Is the truth closer to this:
"Not broadly—though critics and scholars are raising increasingly strong warnings, there’s little evidence of widespread alarm within his base."

Or is the truth now obvious:
Trump IS Literally Acting Like A Dictator.

[franky1]

he is a leader so ofcourse his rules apply.. but lets look at which rules specifically would be considered as an act of 'dictatorship'

1a. to dissolve a centralised education system, to give education decisions back to the states
1b. demanding and funding teachers to groom kids into becoming trans..

to me 1b sounds like a dictatorship act, and 1a sounds like an act to avoid a dictatorship... guess whom done which

2a. distribute FBI agents into different state offices to be nearer to crimes they suppose to investigate
2b. centralise and fund a FBI HQ which doesnt investigate many crimes, not even ones of national interest

again 2b seems like a dictatorship act and 2a sounds like the solution... guess whom done which

..
dictatorships usually are ones that demand higher taxes, but then the treasury money is then mostly spent within the political circle..
soo..

3a. tax relief on the lowest paid, cutting funding to political agenda's
3b. USAID

again 3b sounds like an act of dictatorship, 3a sounds like the solution.. guess whom done which

..
if someone is acting as a representative/advocate/middlemen between disagreeing/waring parties.. is being a mediator a sign of dictatorship, or a sign of resolving conflict
..

im not american nor a MAGA hat. heck in trumps first term he was a babbling buffoon. . but this terms administration he(well lutnick mainly) has set up a stronger cabinet team and a team of advisers, and trumps acts and motivations feel alot different than the first administration.. i dont see it as being a dictator, i see it as being more determined to change. change that can and does benefit many.

as to the 3 examples.. the (b) parts were done in the biden administration

[Hispo]

he is a leader so ofcourse his rules apply.. but lets look at which rules specifically would be considered as an act of 'dictatorship'

1a. to dissolve a centralised education system, to give education decisions back to the states
1b. demanding and funding teachers to groom kids into becoming trans..

to me 1b sounds like a dictatorship act, and 1a sounds like an act to avoid a dictatorship... guess whom done which

Do you have some source, documents or anything which proves taxpayer money was used to indoctrinate teachers and direct them to change the perception of children about their own biological identity? I am curious, because that is something I have read several times it is happening in the United States and I have not found someone who could direct me to some document or dossier about Educational authorities of the country asking teachers to question the indentity of literal little kids as part of alleged education.
Funnily enough, here in my society such a thing would be considered to be some kind of child abuse, specifically psychological abuse.

[DeathAngel]

No I don’t think he’s acting like a dictator lately. The tariffs saga is annoying me if I am honest but that’s not behaving like a dictator is it. He’s at the forefront of trying to make Zelensky & Putin end the war so that’s a good thing. I don’t agree with a lot of things Trump does but he is not acting like a dictator.

[franky1]

he is a leader so ofcourse his rules apply.. but lets look at which rules specifically would be considered as an act of 'dictatorship'

1a. to dissolve a centralised education system, to give education decisions back to the states
1b. demanding and funding teachers to groom kids into becoming trans..

to me 1b sounds like a dictatorship act, and 1a sounds like an act to avoid a dictatorship... guess whom done which

Do you have some source, documents or anything which proves taxpayer money was used to indoctrinate teachers and direct them to change the perception of children about their own biological identity? I am curious, because that is something I have read several times it is happening in the United States and I have not found someone who could direct me to some document or dossier about Educational authorities of the country asking teachers to question the indentity of literal little kids as part of alleged education.
Funnily enough, here in my society such a thing would be considered to be some kind of child abuse, specifically psychological abuse.

teachers were trained to handle DEI/transgender education.. also students (funded by gov) received education of classes involving DEI topics
many examples can be found via google

but if you want to look into more detail such as how this system changed this year
starting with

Sec. 3.  Ending Indoctrination Strategy.  (a)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, to advise the President in formulating future policy, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Attorney General, shall provide an Ending Indoctrination Strategy to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, containing recommendations and a plan for:
(i)   eliminating Federal funding or support for illegal and discriminatory treatment and indoctrination in K-12 schools, including based on gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology;

this triggered D.O.G.E's ability to then look into the federal grants that go to schools for certain curriculums

you can look into stuff related to DEI
obviously there are lots of schools across america. so listing alot is redundant(google can help you more then i will)
but there are examples of general curriculum guidelines that are passed around nationally. such as GLSENS "identity flower" and "gender triangle"
which encourages student to explore, test and experience their own boundaries, labels and identities in a "safe place"(without parental supervision/knowledge)
you will find many examples in the GLSEN lesson plans that talk about the stereotypical male/female/binary is 'cis privilege' and how trying to be cis can negatively affect children. whereby lesson of expressing non binary 'can be fun'
thus making children feel normal genders are bad and expressing selves as different labels is good and fun, encouraging children to try and experience labelling themselves differently and such

[_Miracle]

He has surrounded himself with loyalists instead of experts.
Has been centralizing power while ignoring our constitution (which outlines how power is balanced).
On and off tariffs while the destabilizing is a concern.... bragging about how many millions his buddies are making off it   ---from the oval office -->on the news?
Taking over what can be taught in school --->He is anti-woke which will now extend to our museums and institutes of art.


Federalizing troops without even a  local and state consult and then refusing to stand down or give the troops to state control.
Someone will come on here and blather on about "law and order"

*Trump pardoned the January 6 insurrectionists where capitol police were injured and died. ----> but we need the military federalized in DC right now?

Cuts social programs increases ICE budgets to detain "the migrant criminals" with a goal of 3000 per day ----oh yes...."homegrowns are next"
*no due process
*building concentration camps through private companies to profit from with their big government contracts
*criminalizing homelessness (while huge government contracts and tax breaks go to the wealthy)

Calls Texas to give him more seats because it doesn't look good for maga in the upcoming elections
*Democrats leave the state to break quorum (to block the out of order gerrymander)
*Trump floats the idea of the getting the FBI involved to bring Democrats back to the state
*Texas house leaders mandated ----police escorts--- for the dems to make sure they return for wednesday's vote. Nicole Collier refused and is now locked in the Capitol



All this f'n nonsense about the Epstein List? Women [plural] came forward when he ran for president the 1st time and it was marketed as a smear campaign against him  -->
people got sweetheart deals, died (oh took their lives), and now after Trumps personal lawyer met with Ghislaine she has been transferred to a minimum security prison.

The demonization of "the others"
The criminalizing of dissent.

 



I asked Google:

Fascism doesn't typically have a set, pre-determined path from democracy, but rather emerges from a combination of factors and conditions within a democratic system. It's a process that involves exploiting societal anxieties, manipulating democratic institutions, and ultimately dismantling the very foundations of democracy.
Here's a breakdown of how fascism might emerge from a democracy, drawing from historical examples:


1. Exploiting Societal Anxieties and Grievances:
Economic hardship and social unrest:
.
Fascism often gains traction during times of economic instability, widespread unemployment, or social upheaval. People feel vulnerable and seek strong leadership to restore order and prosperity.
National humiliation and resentment:
.
Feelings of national decline, loss of prestige, or perceived injustices can fuel a desire for a powerful leader who promises to restore national pride and power.
Scapegoating and division:
.
Fascist movements often identify scapegoats (ethnic, religious, or political groups) as responsible for societal problems, creating division and animosity among the population.

2. Erosion of Democratic Norms and Institutions:
Undermining trust in institutions:
.
Fascist leaders often attack the credibility of democratic institutions like the press, judiciary, and electoral processes, sowing distrust and creating a vacuum for their own authority.
Manipulating legal and electoral systems:
.
They might exploit loopholes in the law, use propaganda to influence public opinion, and even engage in voter suppression to consolidate power.
Normalizing violence and intimidation:
.
Fascist movements often tolerate or even encourage violence against political opponents and marginalized groups, gradually desensitizing the population to brutality.

3. Cultivating a Cult of Personality and Authoritarian Rule:
Charismatic leadership:
.
Fascism often relies on a charismatic leader who embodies national aspirations and offers simple solutions to complex problems.
One-party rule and suppression of dissent:
.
Once in power, fascists typically dismantle opposition parties, eliminate free speech, and establish a one-party state.
Nationalist ideology and militarization:
.
Fascism promotes an extreme form of nationalism, often accompanied by militarization and aggressive foreign policy.

4. Gradual Consolidation of Power:
Legal but anti-democratic actions:
.
Mussolini's rise in Italy demonstrates how fascist leaders can dismantle democracy step-by-step, using legal means to achieve anti-democratic goals, like censoring the press or controlling education.
Exploiting fear and desperation:
.
Fascist leaders capitalize on public fear and desperation to justify authoritarian measures, promising security and stability in exchange for freedom.
Important Considerations:
Fascism is not a monolithic ideology:
Different fascist movements have varied characteristics and specific historical contexts.
Democracy's fragility:
Democracy is not inherently resilient; it requires active participation, vigilance, and a commitment to democratic values to prevent its erosion.
The role of elites:
The actions of traditional elites (political, economic, and social leaders) can significantly influence whether a society succumbs to fascism.

[franky1]

Cuts social programs increases ICE budgets to detain "the migrant criminals" with a goal of 3000 per day ----oh yes...."homegrowns are next"

did you know biden/obama had a campaign to take in the children but decline the parents..
did you even check how many people were deported in 2022, 2023, 2024(the biden years).. it will surprise you


did you know in comparison, even if an illegal immigrant then birthed a child in the US. trump wont split the parent from the child, bt give the choice of finding extended family thats legally in the US for the child to stay or have the child go with parent(choice)

yes trump wants to void the naturalisation charter whereby children of illegal immigrants dont auto-default get citizenship simply by birthplace, this also means that children of illegal immigrant parents after the change will be sent back WITH THE PARENT.. thus no forced separation of families

..
there has been alot of cases of human trafficking of children which end up in illegal sex working due to the practices done by biden of separating children from families. so i see what trumps cabinet is pushing for as a positive for human welfare.

..
and yes if illegal migrants voluntarily leave with their family(instead of waiting for a ICE door knock), they can then submit re-application to get on the citizenship waiting list. which is also a better offer then the old deportation rules and family splitting rules which end up with kids going missing and end up lost in the system

[justinlamode]

I don't agree with everything does especially on the tariffs and some other decisions he has taken but that does not mean I agree that he is acting like a dictator. Instead of acting like a dictator, he is even restoring democracy bring freedom which the US stand for unlike when we had mandates and people's right taken away from them. Under the Trump's administration, we have seen the strengthening of US institution and the restoration of US respect in the committee of nations unlike before when the US was weaker. This is not because Trump is acting as a dictator but because he is decisive and goes for what he believes to be right.

[_Miracle]

Cuts social programs increases ICE budgets to detain "the migrant criminals" with a goal of 3000 per day ----oh yes...."homegrowns are next"

did you know biden/obama had a campaign to take in the children but decline the parents..
did you even check how many people were deported in 2022, 2023, 2024(the biden years).. it will surprise you


did you know in comparison, even if an illegal immigrant then birthed a child in the US. trump wont split the parent from the child, bt give the choice of finding extended family thats legally in the US for the child to stay or have the child go with parent(choice)

yes trump wants to void the naturalisation charter whereby children of illegal immigrants dont auto-default get citizenship simply by birthplace, this also means that children of illegal immigrant parents after the change will be sent back WITH THE PARENT.. thus no forced separation of families

..
there has been alot of cases of human trafficking of children which end up in illegal sex working due to the practices done by biden of separating children from families. so i see what trumps cabinet is pushing for as a positive for human welfare.

..
and yes if illegal migrants voluntarily leave with their family(instead of waiting for a ICE door knock), they can then submit re-application to get on the citizenship waiting list. which is also a better offer then the old deportation rules and family splitting rules which end up with kids going missing and end up lost in the system

I am aware of the numbers past and present with past failures of children in cages separated from their parents and was not ok with the conditions even back then.
As of August 10, 2025, over 59,000 individuals were in ICE detention, with 70.4% having no criminal convictions.

Now it has passed any acceptable level of use of force that a free country should allow---due process is the law for ALL persons on American soil  <---that long established protection is under threat.


Please stop talking about Trump's concern regarding children being trafficked for sex work---> what world are you living in?

[BADecker]

^^^ Trump is preparing for war with Mexico, to take out the drug cartels. Once the cartels are gone, much of the child trafficking will be gone, as well.

[_Miracle]

^^^ Trump is preparing for war with Mexico, to take out the drug cartels. Once the cartels are gone, much of the child trafficking will be gone, as well.

Trump is creating wars to consolidate his power.
In his reality a rich white man can do anything he wants ---> may all of our conflicting realities collide.

[montaga]

His career is to con and rob people
https://youtu.be/s7gDXtRS0jo?t=2150

He says that he is not praiseworthy of Putin, he is his poodle
https://youtu.be/s7gDXtRS0jo?t=3798

[Hispo]

^^^ Trump is preparing for war with Mexico, to take out the drug cartels. Once the cartels are gone, much of the child trafficking will be gone, as well.

Are you even aware doing such a thing could be considered a serious aggression against a neighbor country? ... Well, probably you don't know about it, keeping in mind you are pretty much in favor of big Nations invading their neighbor with whatever excuse they can find, right?
Anyways, let us see if Mexico is willing to invade the United States with the excuse of getting rid of the Deep state, I am sure Trump will approve such plan, as he is (allegedly) against the deep state within the USA.

[coin-investor]

Or is the truth now obvious:
Trump IS Literally Acting Like A Dictator.

You have to define what a dictator is; a dictator has absolute power, and it’s hard to be or act like a dictator in a democratic country like the US, I prefer to describe him as arrogant; he is straightforward and vulgar with his choice of words, but he has no absolute power.

We’ve known Trump’s character ever since he was just being Trump. His power is the same as that of the past and future presidents of the US. He cannot exceed his duty or authority, or he will face impeachment.

[OgNasty]

The trolling of liberals with a mentioned run in 2028 could be slightly concerning if he were serious, but I don't think he's gone full dictator.  If he had, interest rates would already be at 0% and we would have revalued our gold to buy massive amounts of Bitcoin.

Sure, he's trying to accomplish these things, but not like a dictator.  Being completely honest though, I have more faith in his ability to manage the country's economy than any other President who came before him, so I'm not worried about him being a dictator as lawfare and sabotage has crippled the country and it needs to be set straight.  I just wish he would dictate congress to pass a balanced budget.

[montaga]

He wants to do a lot of things, like taking everyones private gun but there is issues to deal with
https://x.com/i/status/1957974231343329495

[Accardo]

Trump is on a revenge mission, he's fighting judges, politicians, business men, and ex leaders who didn't want him in the oval office for the second term. He's taking it to the extreme and even makes Jokes about it, in the last few months when he was with the Alabama University class 2025, he mocked Obama right in front of the students, for saying he wouldn't be President. All of that don't actually sit right with everyone who laughs in the room because he's now President, but in an actual sense Trump is playing the political game like a business man.

[Fiatless]

Are you even aware doing such a thing could be considered a serious aggression against a neighbor country? ... Well, probably you don't know about it, keeping in mind you are pretty much in favor of big Nations invading their neighbor with whatever excuse they can find, right?
Anyways, let us see if Mexico is willing to invade the United States with the excuse of getting rid of the Deep state, I am sure Trump will approve such plan, as he is (allegedly) against the deep state within the USA.

People are quick to call the Russian president a dictator. But there is no difference between Putin and Trump. Vladimir sent troops to Ukraine claiming that it was a special operation to eradicate neo-Nazism. Donald has sent the USS Gravely, the USS Jason Dunham, and the USS Sampson with about 4,000 military personnel to Venezuela, claiming that he wants to stop drugs from flowing into the US. Meanwhile, his ambition is to topple the government of Nicolás Maduro.

[caroasi]

Dictators are best known for imprisoning their political opponents, journalist opponents, puppet "kangaroo" court systems, rigging elections, and reassigning government money or assets to them self or their allies with impunity. Trump has low marks on all these indicators. Not only that, but Trump seems to have actually put massive amounts of his money and assets at risk of being seized by political opponents when they actually used the court system against him in their own puppet courts, which suggests the opposite... that he is fighting against authoritarian opponents. Furthermore, roughly 25% of his political opponents have admitted in surveys they want him to be murdered as evidenced by being shot in the ear by a missed bullet. And of course he has drawn attention to unfair election tactics such as high-risk mail-in voting systems and high-risk electronic voting systems which have shown them selves to be easily exploited.

By that metric set the only US president to have scored substantially may have been Lincoln because of his clear imprisonment of opponents such as journalists, but he isn't known for having lined his pockets with government assets to my knowledge or rigged elections. Of course Biden had his primary political opponent arrested, which was a genuine a shift for the USA away from Democracy and towards dictatorship... that was the most dictatorial behavior ever exhibited in USA history I'm aware of, though viewed in context it wasn't as bad as Lincoln's behaviors.

Trump does show plenty of signs of being an authoritarian, which is common for centrists like the Clintons for example. The most authoritarian part of Trump's presidency is his increased usage of executive orders to accomplish agenda items, suggesting a desire for much more power than in the past. What people don't understand most is that Hitler was a centrist, picking both left-wing and right-wing concepts for his power as National Socialism. Socialism is a far-left position by definition to most people. And, socialism is a relative of fascism because it distances itself from communism by enabling high-regulation private enterprise. No, Trump is not a fascist or socialist, but a moderate. And moderates are at risk of doing things that are dictatorial when ignoring principles. Trump doesn't focus on principles, so the risk is there. The left wing and right wing both often have discrete principles in a number of ways.

The vast majority of presidents in US history would be fine with accepting any amount of authority given to the office, and be happy to exercise that authority. So many of them wanted to be dictators whether or not they acted as such. Obviously there are exceptions, starting with the starting president.

Both authoritarianism and libertarianism are centrist ideas on the left-right spectrum. People are quite mistaken that because they are moderates, they are not extreme. Pragmatism most often exists because there are no principles or moral values of the person. What is considered "extreme" is entirely subjective. But still, I've offered five indicators of what other people have noticed about what they consider to be dictators and I think they are all sufficient when put together for a proper identity.

The only political scope more authoritarian than nationalism is globalism, which is at the moment a feature of the left, though certainly there could be right wing brands of that possible. But, because globalism is the current trend preference of dictators, that puts Trump more as a non-dictator. The least dictatorial would be much more local, but Trump has shown respect for states rights. So he scores medium to low on that metric.

[GigaBit]

There is confusion among the public about Trump's behavior. Some people think that his behavior is similar to a dictatorship, but his supporters have not seen any change yet. They still trust Trump. They still support what Trump is doing. But if one thinks without any bias, then Trump's behavior definitely refers to a dictatorship. This can be very well inferred by observing some of his behavior. Trump does not trust the judicial system. He does not give much respect to the court or law if a verdict is given against him. He wants to stay in power by dividing the public. Moreover, after coming to power, he tries to bring the administration under his control.