Trump's Authoritarian Mindset Cracks Under Dissent
US President Donald Trump's authoritarian mindset is struggling to handle dissent from his own appointees. The latest blow came when the Supreme Court rejected his effort to restrict mail-in ballots ahead of the midterm elections. In a statement, Trump wrote that the justices are 'a shell of their original selves,' implying they don't share his views.
The Federal Reserve also defied Trump by raising its benchmark interest rate for the first time in three years, with chair Kevin Warsh describing it as a 'sober decision.' Trump lashed out at the Fed, claiming that board members are 'hostile' and 'political.'
This is not the first time Trump's appointees have disappointed him. The Supreme Court has consistently given him wins in emergency appeals during his second term, but this week's decisions rankle because they block some of his key initiatives.
The defeats are particularly galling for Trump, who expects loyalty from those he appoints to high office. His attorney general, Todd Blanche, was rewarded with praise at a campaign rally when Trump called him 'the greatest attorney general in the history of our country.'