A flurry of executive orders has marked the first 100 days of Trump’s second term, dismantling major parts of the federal government and firing thousands of federal employees, deporting thousands of immigrants labeled as “illegal aliens,” attacking Trans rights, and arresting and deporting student organizers. We’ve also seen repeated demonstrations of the administration’s willingness to defy court rulings and the Constitution. 

Coupled with Trump suggesting he may try to circumvent the Constitution to run for a third term, these developments have raised urgent questions about how far the president is willing to go to expand and retain his power. 

The Indypendent recently spoke with parkgoers in Union Square to understand how Trump’s actions are shaping public perceptions of his intentions — and the possibility of a dictatorship.

AMANDA
New York City

Do you think Trump is trying to become a dictator?

Yes. I would say I think he has personal gains in helping the billionaire class. He clearly is looking out for himself and for others, and he doesn’t really care who he steps on along the way in order to do that, and he’s had a career of doing so, so I don’t think it’s that surprising.

Why do you think people elected him?

Because he’s entertaining. I think people don’t really care about politics. At least they don’t want to care about politics. They want someone else to kind of take care of it for them and trust that they understand things, even if they might not. And people have lives. People are busy. 

Do you think he will try and run for a third term?

I really would not be surprised if he would. I think it’s very possible. He’s gotten farther than I ever could have imagined he would have already.

Is it affecting you or anyone you know?

So I’m half Ecuadorian. All of my cousins are now rushing to get married. All of their boyfriends are not citizens, and all of them are at risk of being sent back. One of them already has kids with my cousin, and their children already are in school in the U.S., and she’s really concerned that the kids, who are five and three, are gonna grow up without a dad because he has had the most trouble. They came in under the Dreamer program, DACA, and that’s been revoked, and now they’re no longer seen as citizens. So yeah, it really worries me because my cousin does not know what to do about it. And these people are part of my family.

Anything to add?

Fuck Trump. I’ve been saying that. I mean, honestly — it’s just a mess. It’s a hot mess. It’s rough. I think we’re getting to such a point — and I think this is on purpose — he’s doing so much shit all the time that you almost don’t even want to pay attention to it, and then he gets away with even more. So I guess, just keep reading.

HOWARD
New York City

Do you think Trump is trying to become a dictator?

Yes, I do actually. Just the moves that he’s making. It’s authoritative; he totally wants to control the DOJ and the Supreme Court. That alone just says everything right there. 

Do you think he’s going to be successful?

He’s on his way there if he’s not stopped pretty soon.

Do you expect him to try and run for a third term?

He’s gonna try. He said already that he’s exploring the options. I doubt that he’ll be successful because it will be the first time in history that ever happened. I doubt he’ll be successful, but he’ll look into it, just as he said.

JANE
Colorado; former New Yorker

Do you think Trump is trying to become a dictator?

I think he already thinks he’s a dictator. In his mind, nothing that we experience in the real world is real to him. I think he lives in an alternate universe of power and greed and doesn’t have any sense of humanity really, or government or integrity, or anything except power, money and greed. 

I used to kind of think he’s an idiot, but now I think he’s an incredibly dark and terrifying human being. 

What’s interesting is I live in Colorado in a very politically purple place, and there are people all around me who voted for him without understanding what they were doing. In some cases, these are people I actually respect because of the way they live their lives on the land, and they’re forgotten and they’re belittled, and they’re just trying to survive, and they really thought it was a better choice. And that is a problem; that doesn’t work in democracy. People have to be engaged. They have to be willing to learn and want to be curious. But, I mean, I don’t particularly want to be curious anymore either, because it sucks. 

Why do you think they voted for him?

I think everybody has an issue, whether it’s freedom or cheaper gas or, I mean — I live with cattlemen and farmers and hippies and artists, and I think they didn’t understand what he would do. It’s that whole, you know, “He’s not going to deport my wife or my cousin, or he’s not going to marginalize my LGBTQ sister.” People are so desperate for something they can hang on to. And he was clear, whereas the Democrats were like, “No, no, not that, not that,” but weren’t able to verbalize what an alternative would look like for them in their lives. That’s my sense.

I think really what we have as human beings is each other — community and kindness. And I see it every day. I do. I see it every day, and I try to carry it a little bit every day. And that’s like, kind of all we can do, and pay attention to where your money’s going, and find your way to speak your truth and be your true self. And maybe it’ll help. I don’t know.

MICHAEL
New York City

Do you think Trump is trying to become a dictator?

Yes, I would think he’s trying to certainly become an authoritarian ruler. He’s taken several steps, amongst others, attempting to defy the judiciary and court orders. He’s taken pretty arbitrary actions in terms of downsizing the government without any input. He’s ignored the will of Congress. Congress has cooperated with him. The Republicans have, in any event. So I think there are a lot of signs that he’s trying to become an authoritarian ruler.

Do you think he’ll try to run for a third term?

I have no idea. No one knows what Trump wants to do. He says things, and who knows?

Do you think there are any viable avenues to stop him?

Well, I’m hoping that the that the judiciary will do that to some degree. I’m hoping that as time goes on, the public will. And it seems to be now that polling is indicating that people are opposed to many of his policies. I’m hoping that public opinion will gradually shift against him, that perhaps the polling numbers — he’s very sensitive to those — may influence him. Not wholly optimistic, but hopeful that that might happen, that more demonstrations will happen, that finally some Republicans will turn against him and express themselves in Congress to oppose some of his policies. I can only hope. I think we need to do that. 

I think that people need to be informed and stay informed as to what’s going on, and do what they can do either by marching or writing to their Congress people and trying to influence the course of events in that way. 

ANONYMOUS 24-YEAR-OLD WOMAN
New York City

Do you think Trump is trying to become a dictator?

No, I don’t think so. I think he thinks he’s playing a video game. I think he’s just making moves based on power and success, which sounds like a dictator, but I don’t think he has those ambitions. I think he’s playing a game.

What makes you think he doesn’t have those ambitions?

Because I think everything else that’s involved with the U.S. government and the invisible hand is always gonna have more power, and he’s just a face. 

I’m just thinking about Israel right now. I think as a result of the decisions that are being made, the money being sent, more and more, that it’s gonna force people to become anti-Zionist. I don’t think he’s aware that that’s what he’s gonna do, but I think that’s a result. It’s gonna force people to be awakened or something. 

Anything to add?

Free Palestine.

CARLOS
New York City

Do you think Trump is trying to become a dictator?

He already is, but it’s less about Trump and more about the role of president, how it’s always been essentially a dictator role, which is one of those things that we’re unaware of because it’s around us all the time. But the existence of government is the issue. It’s less about the individual and more about the control of individuals. I am an independent; I don’t rock with either side. 

Trump is my favorite president, specifically because he reveals the sham of the United Slave States of America. He is taking it to the absolute extreme. He is breaking the illusion at a faster pace than anyone.

So is President Trump a dictator? He certainly is, but he’s the first one that is being honest about it and acting as if you can do what you want when you want to do and also not do anything whenever you don’t want to do — like feed people, plant female trees that produce fruit, so no one has to go asking — little details that helps with the existence of everyone. We are in abundance at all times. We just are following folks who are choosing to go against the law of nature, which is do no harm, take no shit. They’re feeding us garbage all the time, and he at least is screaming it honestly: “I’m stealing. I’m robbing you. I’m abusing you. I don’t care about you.” Because that’s what this system is made to do. It’s not made to care. It’s made to profit. 

We are a special brand of oppressive government. It’s a work of art, and the system is not broken. It’s working directly as designed. 

What’s your ideal political scenario for the United States? How do we get there?

The term anarchy terrifies people because that’s the way that they presented it. It’s not out here burning things down. It’s just taking a note and waking up and being like, “Do I even want to go outside today? Do I even want to talk to anybody for the next 100 days?” You should be able to do whatever you need to do. 

So how do we get there? Immediately stop forced employment. I know that sounds really terrifying, but people like me — I work with children. I’m not going to quit my job. I would show up for this work for free to coach middle school women in the liberation of their own selves. 

How do we get there? Pay people until money is no longer needed, and stop telling them what to do. They will not go out and murder each other, and those who are doing the murdering, we will sort them out, not through violence. We’ll put them up behind walls. We feed them and have gardens, and they walk around to do whatever they want, and then when they’re ready to come over and play nice, they can walk on back into society. No one is broken. Serial killers will get weeded out. Rapists will get weeded out. 

They made sure that slavery was allowed, and it never stopped. They just tricked us into calling it employment. You have to work these hours, and then maybe you’ll have time to retire. No, I want to do what I want to do, just like a billionaires able to wake up, yawn and eat sleep, draw — whatever you want to do, it’s your entire choice. So if you don’t want to have to go to work tomorrow, you shouldn’t have to go to work tomorrow, and there will be a check waiting for you until you no longer need a check, because money is infinite, as we know. We just move it around and stop playing by their rules.

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