"The Potential Radicalism and Autocracy of a Second Trump Presidency"

A second term for Donald Trump could potentially be more radical than his first, as his policy operation has become more sophisticated and the buffers to check his authoritarian impulses are weaker. Trump's extreme policy plans, such as withdrawing from NATO, using the military on domestic soil, and purging undocumented immigrants, would have a greater chance of becoming reality. The Republican party has become more inured to Trump's willingness to cross lines, and key congressional Republicans who occasionally criticized him or opposed his proposals have either retired or lost their seats. Additionally, Trump's staffing efforts and the development of a well-funded outside infrastructure would further support his more extreme agenda.