a Pathetic oppression of illegal immigration. A hard-pressed approach to law and order. Purges of “gender ideology” and “purpose” from national schools. academic freedom, judicial independence, erosion of the free press. An alliance with Christian nationalism. Attacks on democratic institutions.
Victor Orban’s Hungary “Election Dictatorship” has long been respected by Donald Trump and his “Maga” movement to “make America great again” (Maga); Now praise is turning into emulation. In the early weeks of Trump’s second term as US president, analysts say there are surprising signs that America’s overranization has begun.
With tech billionaire Elon Musk on his side, Trump fires critics at an astonishing rate, punishes the media, rewards allies, rewards the federal government, abuses presidential immunity and tested the limits of his authority. Many of their actions were unconstitutional and illegal. Only federal courts have slowed them down because Congress is helpless.
“They’re copying the paths taken by other dictators like Victor Orban,” said Democrat Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democratic Sen. “You’re moving towards state-controlled media. You have judiciary and law enforcement that appears to be poised to prioritize prosecution of your political enemy. You’re enforcement of exploitation. They have a seizure of the person, so only the leader and the leader will tell who will get the money.”
Orban, who came to power in 2010, was once called “Trump before Trump” by former US advisor Steve Bannon. The long-term dismantling of Hungarian institutions and media control serves as a warning story about how seemingly progressive changes can open the path to authoritarianism.
Orbán describes his country as “Petri cuisine for tort.” His party used a two-thirds majority to rewrite the constitution, acquire the system and change election laws. He reorganized the Judicial College and Public Colleges to ensure long-term party loyalty.
The Prime Minister created a system of rewards and punishment, giving allies control over money and media. An estimated 85% of the media is controlled by the Hungarian government, allowing Orban to form public opinion and alienate dissent. Orbán is also stunning in arming “family values” and “family values” and rhetoric of anti-immigrants to mobilize his base.
American Orban fans include vice-president J.D. Vance, media personality Tucker Carlson, and Kevin Roberts, head of the Heritage Foundation think tank. The Heritage Foundation produced Project 2025, the far-right blueprint for Trump’s second season.
Orban attended a conservative political action conference and traveled two months ago to Mar-a-Lago Estate in Florida for a meeting with both Trump and Musk. He claims that “we’ve entered the policy writing system of President Donald Trump’s team,” and that he “is deeply involved.”
But even Orban might be surprised and somewhat envious of Trump’s showing since returning to power.
The threat is now much more realistic than expected a month ago
Bill Christol
On the first day, he included around 1,500 people who took part in the January 6, 2021 rebellion, including those who vehemently attacked our Capitol police to overturn election defeats. Driven by vengeance, he rejected federal prosecutors involved in Trump-related investigations, suggesting further targeting the thousands of FBI agents who worked in the related lawsuit on January 6th.
“We turned the story over on January 6th and became the administration on January 6th, and the Department of Justice,” said Bill Christol, director of advocacy groups for democracy and a former Ronald Reagan White House employee. Armed with and at least talk, mass shootings at the FBI – it’s even more dangerous than norms for obvious reasons.
“If he could do that, he could do anything. Why can’t he order the Department of Justice to investigate you, me and 50 other people? Justice lawyer or FBI agent. I’ll assume that doesn’t do that, but if thousands are cleaned up and the rest are threatened. I’m not hysterical, but the threat is now much more realistic than expected a month ago. I think so.”
Borrowing from Orbán’s Playbook, Trump mobilized the culture war and issued a series of executive orders and policy changes targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs and educational curricula. This week he signed an executive order aimed at banning trans athletes from competing in women’s sports, directing Attorney General Pam Bondi, calling anti-Christian bias within the federal government. He instructed them to lead a task force to eradicate things.
He also aims to alienate mainstream media and replace the right-wing ecosystem, including an army of influencers and podcasters. While the Silicon Valley billionaire was well known when he took office, a “new media” seat was added to the White House press briefing room. The X on the mask is a powerful mouthpiece, Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook has abandoned fact-checking, and China-owned Tiktok could be owned by the US.
Trump also sued the press for compiling stories and interviews. Some solved the cases. The Pentagon said it will “spin” four major news outlets from its workspace and replace them with more Trump-friendly media. Jim Acosta, a former White House correspondent who often sparred with Trump, has left CNN to help President’s stepdaughter Lara Trump host a new weekend show on Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News I was hired.
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But the most dramatic changes have led to Trump’s unprecedented disruption in the federal government, firing at least 17 inspectors, dismantling long-standing programs, sparking widespread public protests, and Congressional It was a way to challenge the role and challenge the role of the people. Pay the law and its bills.
Government workers have been urged to resign, the entire agency has been shut down, and federal funds for states and nonprofits are temporarily frozen. Countless Americans’ most sensitive Treasury information has been opened to Musk’s “Doctors of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) team, violating privacy and protocols, raising concerns about the potential misuse of the federal fund. Ta.
Musk’s allies coordinated the physical acquisition of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), shutting down employees and, together with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, intervened as proxy managers. “We fed USAID to Wood Chipper over the weekend,” Musk posted on X.
Musk’s team also had a major impact on the Department of Human Resources and Management (OPM), providing “buying” to federal workers and setting up loyalists in key positions. It also promotes 50% budget cuts and implements “zero-based budgeting” at General Services Administration (GSA), which manages federal assets and large-scale contracts.
Musk, a multi-billion dollar private citizen in government contracts, has little accountability, burns Washington fiercely and has potential conflicts of interest. A series of lawsuits demand intervention to stop him from unilaterally obstructing the government. The protests have erupted outside the agency, blocking Congress’ telephone lines.
But critics aim to sound an alarm that the shadow government is threatening and punishing hostile takeovers. Edward Martin, a US lawyer for the District of Columbia, has threatened legal action against people who “block” Doge’s work and “threatening” people. Martin posted to X: “We are in touch with the FBI and other law enforcement partners and are progressing quickly. We are also preparing for the prosecutors.”
Murphy, a Democrat Senator, said: It began with the mob pardon on January 6th. Now everyone knows that if they oppose Donald Trump, they risk hitting shit from them.
“It even extended to the seizure of government funding. Now, from entities and state and legislative districts that Musk and Trump support them, and from entities and state and legislative districts that don’t support them. It is clear that we will withhold funds.”
He added: “Now you are this lawyer representing the defendant on January 6th, a new representative US lawyer, trolling activists online and threatening them with federal prosecutions. It’s more Russian than the US. It’s a dizzying campaign of political oppression that looks like it.”
Democrats like Murphy are determined to fight back, but being a minority has few tools at their disposal. Republicans are primarily showing content to give in to their strength. It was once again demonstrated this week when the committee senators voted to advance Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F Kennedy Jr nominations as directors of national intelligence. before.
The complete indifference of Republican Congress is complete to the way it is stripped of its central constitutional function
Charlie Sykes
Conservative author and broadcaster Charlie Sykes said: It also disrupts potential opposition. ”
He added: “What Elon Musk represents is basically a hostile takeover of the government, and the complete indifference of Republican Congress will be disrupted by the way it is stripped of its core constitutional function. This mood is not done to do anything or stop them. You see it in the business community, the political community, and it is the root of our system of checking and balance. It’s a loss of faith.
For now, one guardrail holds it. The court temporarily blocked Trump’s efforts to end birthright citizenship, cull the government’s workforce and freeze federal funds. Still, commentators warn that blatant disregard of Congressional authority, erosion of public service protection, and concentration of power in the administrative sector poses a serious threat.
Larry Jacobs, director of the University of Minnesota Center for Politics and Governance Research, said “Donald Trump will have to close his eyes completely to be deeply concerned and furious about the vacuum he is currently operating in. .. In the truest sense, American democracy passed away this month. That doesn’t mean it’s long-term dying, but at this point, as the Constitutional Framers wrote, an accountable system of representation The idea of this no longer exists.”
