Researcher ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/
0000-0002-1451-987X
Graduation Year
2021
Date of Submission
12-2021
Document Type
Open Access Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Government
Reader 1
John Pitney
Rights Information
2021 Gabriel R Fisher
Abstract
Donald Trump was the most anti-democratic president in American history. During his 2016 campaign, he encouraged violence at his rallies. He also levied harsh attacks against his opponents and even called one a “devil.” When he assumed office as president, he demanded complete loyalty and levied attacks against the press that conjured up memories of notorious autocrats. And when he lost a free and fair election in 2020, he discontinued a 200-year-old tradition and a hallmark of American democracy: the peaceful transfer of power. He also incited an insurrection when he unsuccessfully overturned the election’s results. The GOP has continued to swear their loyalty to him, and those who challenge him, like Liz Cheney, are harshly rebuked by the party. If Trump runs for president in 2024 and wins, he will continue his authoritarian tendencies from day one and have the experience to better accomplish his authoritarian goals. Even if he does not run, GOP candidates who act like him will have success –– an overwhelming majority of Republicans still support Trump. Trump has thrown a wrench in American democracy, yet his influence in American politics is still enormous.
Recommended Citation
Fisher, Gabe, "Donald Trump’s Authoritarianism: The Decline of Democracy Under Trump" (2021). CMC Senior Theses. 2845.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/2845
