Donald Ayer on Trump's Pattern of Overthrowing Norms and Undermining US Institutions

A Pattern of Overthrowing Norms

• 🎯 Donald Ayer, former deputy attorney general, identifies a consistent pattern of Donald Trump working to overthrow norms, procedures, and checks and balances within the US system.
• 💡 This pattern is more significant than individual incidents and represents a fundamental concern for the country's governance.

Undermining Independent Institutions

• 🏛️ The Federal Reserve's independence is a key target, with Trump attempting to overcome its autonomy to influence monetary policy.
• ⚖️ The Department of Justice, once respected for its independence, is now a source of worry, with concerns about it being used for political purposes.
• 📉 The lawsuit by Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook highlights Trump's alleged attempt to fire her, which she argues is a power grab that could harm the economy.

Erosion of Due Process and Fact-Driven Governance

• 📄 Cook's lawsuit also asserts that Trump attempted to fire her without due process, denying her the constitutional right to respond to allegations.
• 🤥 The president is described as not living in a fact-driven world, instead making up his own facts or firing those who present unfavorable ones.

Systemic Assault on American Governance

• 💥 This behavior is characterized as a systematic assault on the foundations of American governance, much of which is based on the Constitution.
• ⚠️ The founders were concerned about a "man on a white horse" figure pursuing individual goals and power, a scenario now unfolding.

Deep Concern for the Future

• 😟 Donald Ayer expresses deep worry about the current state of affairs, viewing it as a dismantling of the fundamental US system.
• 📈 While acknowledging the desire for things to seem okay and the stock market's performance, he stresses that the system itself is not okay due to these actions.