Trump has accelerated authoritarian tactics by deploying military forces against U.S. citizens during protests, using federal agencies to arrest individuals without due process, and encouraging bans on books and academic speech he deems unpatriotic. His administration has supported defunding and dismantling programs that provide congressional oversight, while promoting loyalty tests for civil servants and suppressing dissent through intimidation and media discrediting. By centralizing power, threatening governors, and undermining democratic norms, Trump continues to erode the institutional checks that safeguard freedom in America.