Trump charts path to total control amid government shutdown

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

38% : * Goading Democrats, Trump flaunted Vought's role in Project 2025 ("he of PROJECT 2025 Fame") -- the hard-right blueprint for expanding executive power that Trump disavowed on the campaign trail after it became a political liability.
34% : Several government websites are displaying similar notices blaming Democrats or "the radical left" for the shutdown -- potentially violating rules that prohibit partisan political activity by federal agencies.
33% : " The bottom line: Government shutdown or not, Trump has spent his presidency methodically erasing the independence of institutions that once served as checks on executive power.
31% : Trump had previously called on Intel's CEO to resign over alleged ties to China, but backed off after the U.S. government took a 10% equity stake in the chip-maker.
26% : Military: In an unprecedented partisan address this week, Trump told more than 800 generals and admirals to prepare for a "war" against domestic "enemies," urging them to treat America's cities as "training grounds.
23% : * Corporate America: Trump demanded last week that Microsoft fire its head of global affairs, Lisa Monaco, because she served in the Biden administration -- a reminder that even corporate giants aren't immune from political retaliation.
21% : Trump also has urged the Justice Department to investigate Democratic megadonor George Soros' Open Society Foundations as part of a crackdown on liberal groups following Kirk's assassination.
12% : * Rule of law: Days after Trump publicly pressured Attorney General Pam Bondi to charge his political enemies, the Justice Department indicted former FBI director James Comey.
7% : Zoom in: Trump said he met Thursday with White House budget chief Russ Vought to discuss what "Democrat agencies" should get cuts, casting the shutdown as a chance to shrink a federal workforce Trump has long viewed as hostile.

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