Trump's Presidency Marks an Unprecedented Expansion of Federal Influence

The Trump administration stands out as one of the most interventionist in American history, extending federal authority extensively into the nation’s economic, cultural, and judicial spheres.

On the economic front, the administration has influenced corporate conduct through measures such as tariffs, targeted subsidies, and sanctions against certain industries and companies, while simultaneously offering tax incentives and deregulation to favored sectors—actions that precede government revenue extraction.

Culturally, there has been a concerted effort to redefine the limits of public debate, including exerting pressure on academic institutions, promoting grievance-based politics, and restructuring federal agencies to prioritize ideological allegiance over professional expertise.

Within the judiciary, the administration has aggressively reshaped the federal courts, asserted expansive executive authority over independent bodies, and utilized the Justice Department to advance political objectives.

Collectively, these actions reveal a presidency intent on broadening executive influence across nearly every aspect of national life.

A political scientist observed that no modern president during peacetime has sought to exert control over the major institutions that make up American civil society and government to the extent witnessed under this administration.

The administration’s interventions have targeted a diverse range of areas, including corporate governance, higher education, the legal profession, the administration of justice, investigations into political opponents, and liberal Democratic organizations.