The Science of Politics

Is Trump redirecting or deconstructing the administrative state?

Apr 16, 2025
Nicholas Jacobs, a Colby College professor specializing in American political institutions, and Sidney Milkis from the University of Virginia, focus on the complexities of the Trump administration's approach to the administrative state. They discuss whether Trump is truly dismantling governmental structures or redirecting their power for conservative goals. The conversation touches on the rise of 'Trumpification' within the Republican Party, ideological tensions, and the evolving dynamics of presidential power in today's polarized political landscape.
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INSIGHT

Trump's Strategic Redeployment of Power

  • Trump's presidency was more programmatic and strategic than chaotic or amateurish.
  • Modern conservatism retools the administrative state to serve conservative ends rather than rolling it back.
INSIGHT

Uncertain Fate of Trump's Administrative Actions

  • Trump 2.0 continues many policies from the first term with greater planning.
  • It's unclear if aggressive agency dismantling is destruction or a transfer of conservative power.
INSIGHT

Trump's Unique Constitutional Departure

  • Trump's break with precedent is less about power use and more about abandoning constitutional reverence.
  • Prior presidents at least paid homage to constitutional norms, unlike Trump.
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