The election has barely passed, Donald Trump has already made some appointments and he wants to move quickly.
Several observers, including me, have shared their concerns for democratic life in the United States in the event of a Republican return to power. Could he be tempted to concentrate more power around himself?
If democracy were to be affected, it will not happen suddenly. We will gradually erode the counter-powers, the model of Viktor Orban in Hungary can be cited here as an example. Project 2025 must not be forgotten.
Here are some signs to watch for.
Escaping justice
Before we knew the outcome of the election, candidate Trump was facing three lawsuits. The accusations were serious, especially that of having interfered in the 2020 election in Georgia or that of having contributed to the assault on the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
These trials will be officially dropped very soon, and independent prosecutor Jack Smith should already be watching to protect his back. Many Republicans want him punished.
If we try to intimidate an independent prosecutor, can you imagine the message we send to the rest of the judicial system?
A partisan and loyal state apparatus?
The new president’s entourage has already combed through a list of candidates to place loyal servants in the public service. Civil servants fear nothing less than a purge within the workforce.
By doing so, Trump would take the United States back to the 1800s, a time when the president was served before the people.
Appointments without Senate support?
When I emphasize that the new president will want to move quickly, it is because he has already asked Republican senators to let him make his appointments without them commenting.
If the Constitution allows the Senate to be overridden (when there is an emergency), acquiescing to this request would be to endorse the end of a historic process and recognize the increased power of the executive.
What role for Musk?
Since the beginning of American history, the rich and powerful have found their way to the president. However, I have never seen such closeness as that between Musk and Trump.
While recently speaking with Volodymyr Zelensky, the man he tried to blackmail during his first term, Donald Trump handed the phone to Elon Musk. It is difficult to confirm more clearly the political influence that the richest man in the world now enjoys.
When we know to what extent Musk is already a major player on the international scene, it seems legitimate to me to ask who serves who. Is Donald Trump just Musk’s new “toy”?
The Republican’s victory has already brought a lot to the Tesla boss, the value of the stock having increased by 19.3% in the single day of last Thursday. Enough to largely cover the expenses incurred during the last electoral campaign.
