Living with a President Who Knows No Limits

Americans are adjusting to the reality of a president who appears to recognize no boundaries, fears no accountability, and feels emboldened to push the limits of executive power like never before.

Former President Donald Trump, now serving a second term, is visibly shedding any remnants of restraint that once shaped presidential behavior. In a recent NBC interview, when asked if he felt bound to uphold the Constitution, he casually responded, “I don’t know,” despite having sworn an oath just months earlier.

In true Trump fashion, this wasn’t just an offhand comment. His presidency is marked by an aggressive stream of legal challenges, controversial policy shifts, and public statements designed to throw opponents off balance and project an image of unstoppable force. Supporters rally behind him, praising his fight against what they view as elitist, liberal-dominated institutions — from universities and media outlets to the legal and military establishments.

But Trump’s actions hint at something more unsettling: a presidency increasingly flirting with authoritarianism. His administration has openly defied federal courts — even ignoring a Supreme Court order regarding an undocumented migrant. He’s used executive power to pressure institutions and punish dissenters, setting a precedent where personal dominance trumps democratic norms.

During the same NBC interview, Trump remarked he wasn’t “looking at” running for a third term — implying that even the 22nd Amendment might be treated as optional under his leadership.

Authoritarian Displays and Economic Disconnect

Trump’s recent moves go beyond rhetoric. An AI-generated image of him dressed as the pope, posted on Truth Social and even shared via the White House’s official X account, wasn’t just a joke — it was a symbolic assertion of infallibility. His plan to hold a massive military parade on his birthday — under the guise of celebrating the Army’s 250th anniversary — mirrors the self-celebration rituals of autocrats rather than democratic leaders.

While the spectacle is drawing criticism over cost and symbolism, Trump insists it's necessary: “We have the greatest missiles... the greatest submarines... the greatest weapons in the world,” he declared. To oppose such displays, he suggests, is to oppose patriotism itself.

But beyond the showmanship, there’s a widening disconnect between Trump’s policies and everyday American realities. His trade war with China, framed as a strategy to bring back jobs, has begun hurting the very working-class families he claims to champion. In the NBC interview, Trump appeared indifferent to economic fallout, stating, “They don’t need to have 250 pencils. They can have five.”

Everyday essentials — from groceries to toys — are becoming more expensive or harder to find. Meanwhile, Trump insists that prices are going down, despite evidence to the contrary in every shopping cart across the country. His claim of brokering “200 deals” with foreign nations to bypass tariffs lacks any visible outcomes. Critics worry that his approach to trade — including suggestions of cutting off China entirely — could devastate the economy long-term.

Even his own Cabinet now mirrors this deference, as seen in recent televised meetings where members offered only praise. Republican lawmakers are also backing off from their role as a check on executive power. While some privately voice concern, as Sen. Mark Warner noted, public dissent remains rare.

In foreign policy, where presidential power is even greater, Trump continues to push the envelope. When asked whether he might use military force to acquire Greenland, he responded: “I don’t rule it out.” This rhetoric, even if partially in jest, underscores a presidency that regularly toys with the unthinkable.

Thankfully, Canadians can rest easy — Trump has ruled out using force there. But the fact that such statements are now considered clarifications speaks volumes about how drastically the norms of American leadership have shifted.