Trump’s tempest of attacks on institutions, individuals part of concerted putsch

(Originally published Aug. 28 in “What in the World“) Former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen added her voice to the chorus condemning Trump’s attempts to intimidate Fed governors into cutting interest rates.

U.S. consumers remain pessimistic about their prospects under Trump. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell 1.3% in August from July, but was still higher than in March when it tumbled to its lowest since 2001. Its index of consumer expectations, however, fell 1.6%, and remained below the threshold of 80 it says augurs recession.

It’s little wonder. Trump’s shock and awe campaign of disastrous policies is so unrelenting that it has become difficult to determine from what issue each new barrage is meant to distract and dismay the public and investors. Whether it’s attacking Iran, suggesting Ukraine surrender its Russian-held east to Moscow, deploying troops in American cities, or using law enforcement to conduct personal vendettas against former officials, many wonder if some of Trump’s initiatives are merely flak meant to avert public scandal over the Epstein files.

But these seemingly scattershot policies are part of a concerted and steady erosion of democracy and rule of law in the United States to achieve his autarchic dictatorship. Amid his continued use of retributive tariffs to exert extraterritorial policy pressure on erstwhile allies, Trump’s move to take a 10% stake in semiconductor maker Intel after publicly calling for the CEO’s resignation has triggered concerns that he is pursuing a new form of state capitalism.

Don’t worry. He absolutely is.