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Trump’s Revenge Presidency: Vengeance, Scandals and Geopolitical Fallout
The second coming of Donald Trump to the White House has been anything but conventional. Promising retribution against his perceived enemies, he has wielded the power of the presidency with a Mafia-like mentality, making good on his threats against former officials, journalists, and institutions that dared to challenge him. His presidency is not only a test of American democracy but a reflection of how unchecked power can warp civic sensibilities and global diplomacy alike.
During his campaign, Trump made it clear: revenge was coming. Since taking office, he has stripped security details from former military chief Mark Milley and infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci. He has sued media networks for millions and gone after law firms that opposed his policies. In an impromptu speech at the Justice Department, he described his adversaries as “thugs, savages, and scum.” His message was clear: the Justice Department is his personal tool for retribution. The impact of this mindset is twofold. First, the administration’s unchecked appetite for vengeance sets a dangerous precedent, where power is used not for governance but personal vendettas. Second, it erodes public morality. As Alexis de Tocqueville warned in Democracy in America, when corruption leads to power and success, society doesn’t just tolerate it — it begins to…
