Trump aims for show of force upon return to power

Donald J. Trump sat in the middle of a U-shaped table, surrounded by his far-right allies. It was a Friday evening, 10 days before his inauguration, and Mr. Trump was hosting a few dozen members of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus in the white-and-gold Mar-a-Lago ballroom and explaining how he viewed this moment of power . .

The 45th (and soon-to-be 47th) president said Democrats were damaged, demoralized and disorganized, according to two people in the room. And while he concedes that “sometimes a wounded animal is the most dangerous,” he signals that he wants to exploit its weakness. It was time to think big.

Whether it’s his idea of ​​a “big, beautiful bill” to pass his multi-billion dollar legislative agenda, his thirst for a deal ending the war between Russia and Ukraine (and perhaps fulfill his dream of a Nobel Peace Prize’s first term), his desire to acquire Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada for the United States, or his insistence on an advisor so that he continues to sign decrees during the day of the inauguration “until my hand breaks” – Mr. Trump indicated that he wanted to begin his term. presidency with a show of force.

He knows from experience that he must act quickly; he starts his presidency like a lame duck. And after the 2026 midterm elections, when attention turns to his successor, Mr. Trump is unlikely to wield the same influence with congressional Republicans and corporate America.

“We had a 40-seat Republican margin in the House in 2017 and yet we struggled to check off the list of accomplishments,” said Kellyanne Conway, his 2016 campaign manager who served as a senior White House adviser during of his first term. “This time the majority is weaker, but the mandate is broader. President Trump knows he can act with alacrity and immediacy. »