Thank you for being a free subscriber.. Don’t lose access. Please upgrade your subscription to Lincoln Square today with this limited-time offer. Join us on the frontline in the battle for our rights and freedoms under the law. It's our duty as Americans to defend democracy. Together. The GOP's 'No Kings' Defense for TrumpAfter millions of Americans protested against Trump's presidency, Republicans have found an asinine new way to stand by their man.Every few years, the right discovers a new way to defend Donald Trump. It’s been everywhere — in op-eds, on cable news, bouncing around social media. And technically, they’re right. Donald Trump is not a king. But that’s not the point. The point is that he’s trying to turn the presidency into a throne — one where loyalty replaces law, accountability disappears, and power answers only to him. That’s why he tears down institutions. That’s why he trashes the press, the courts, the civil service. Because every time he weakens the machinery of government, he creates space for one thing to fill the void: himself. ‘He’s Not a King — He Was Elected by a Majority of Americans.’No, he wasn’t. Let’s start there. Trump lost the popular vote — twice. In 2024, only about two-thirds of Americans even voted, and just a third of the country actually put him in office. His margin with voters? Barely more than a single percentage point. Hardly a coronation. And for the record, plenty of monarchs have been elected. Medieval nobles, tribal elders, rigged parliaments — the “voters” might have changed, but the outcome didn’t. The elections were limited, unfair, and unfree. The kind of elections we might expect if Trump gets his way again. “He’s Not a King — or the Government Wouldn’t be Shut Down.'“This one’s almost too dumb to process. The government is shut down because Trump wants it shut down. Because he’s holding Speaker Mike Johnson hostage. Because he’s terrified of what might come out if the Epstein files are released. Because chaos serves him better than competence ever could. If Trump wanted the government open, it would be open. But he’s made it clear he’d rather break it — to prove it doesn’t work without him. He’s bragged about not being “extorted.” He’s cheering on Russ Vought’s slash-and-burn crusade against federal workers. That’s not governing. That’s control through chaos — a lesson he learned years ago and one he’s never forgotten. When everything is on fire, the man who started the blaze looks like the only one in control. “He’s Not a King — or He’d Have Shut Down the No Kings Protests.”And that’s exactly what he dreams of doing. The fact that he hasn’t is not proof of democratic strength — it’s proof that he still resents every inch of it. Every protester who mocks him, every journalist who questions him, every late-night host who jokes about him — each one reminds him of the one thing he’s never been able to command: respect. Trump doesn’t tolerate dissent. He fantasizes about crushing it. “He’s Not a King — or He Wouldn’t Have Left Office the First Time.”He tried not to. He lied, threatened, pressured, and schemed to stay in power. When that failed, he sent a mob to the Capitol to finish the job. And ever since that day, he’s been preparing to make sure the next attempt succeeds. He’s installing loyalists at every level. He’s rewriting the playbook to make his takeover legal the next time around. He’s turning the Republican Party into an instrument of revenge. He’s not pretending anymore. The first coup failed because it was clumsy. The next one won’t be. The Court of Donald TrumpDonald Trump doesn’t govern — he reigns. He’s the kind of monarch who lets others swing the sword while he preens for the crowd. Behind him is a court of loyalists: That’s not a Cabinet. It’s a royal court — one that answers to power, not principle. And if Trump returns to office, he won’t need a crown or a throne. Because Donald Trump isn’t a king. He’s an American who learned how to rule like one. Andrew Wilson is a research analyst at the Lincoln Democracy Institute. You’re currently a free subscriber to Lincoln Square Media. For full access to our content, our Lincoln Loyal community, and to help us amplify the facts about the assault on our rights and freedoms, please consider upgrading your subscription today with this limited-time offer: Not ready to subscribe? Make a one-time donation of $10 or more to support our work amplifying the facts on social media, targeted to voters in red states and districts that we can help flip. Every $10 reaches 1000 Americans. The Truth needs a voice. Your donation will help us amplify it. Want to help amplify this post? Please leave a comment and tell us what you think. |