The Politics of Cruelty Starts With the Vulnerable

This analysis argues that President Donald Trump's actions, including reposting a racist attack on Somali kindergarteners, escalating ICE raids resulting in two deaths, subpoenaing New York Times journalists, and announcing a plan to seize the Strait of Hormuz for toll collection, form a coherent authoritarian project. The author contends that these attacks on vulnerable minorities, immigrants, press freedom, and international law are part of a broader strategy to consolidate power. However, the piece notes that voters and courts are pushing back against these measures, suggesting resistance to the administration's authoritarian drift.