Bulwark Takes Bulwark On Sunday: The Velociraptors Have Learned How To Open Their Cage
Jun 29, 2025
Thomas Joscelyn is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, specializing in counterterrorism and national security. In this engaging discussion, he delves into Trump's authoritarian impulses and the political landscape post-election. They explore the normalization of aggressive immigration policies and the troubling politicization of the Department of Justice. Joscelyn critiques the risks of this authoritarian drift, emphasizing the necessity of safeguarding constitutional principles and civil rights amid an evolving political climate.
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Authoritarian Strategy from the Start
- Trump learned from the first term to install loyalists and remove internal checks fast.
- His administration quickly pushed through nominees with conspiracy ties and minimal Republican resistance.
Eroding DOJ Independence
- Trump claims he's the nation's chief law enforcement officer, eroding DOJ independence.
- This breaks long-standing norms about separation between DOJ and White House politics.
Pardons Recast January 6 Narrative
- Pardoning January 6 defendants reframes them as victims and the government as the aggressor.
- This narrative reversal protects Trump’s movement from moral or political responsibility.