Autocracy Check: DONALD TRUMP

About the Scores

Action scoring scale:

Key details

Individual action scores are based on the estimated net promotion or opposition of autocracy of the leader’s actions

Judges will be historians and other experts TBD

Summary: Scores by Category

(6 actions per category)

AVG	Category
2.8	1. Controlling information
2.2	2. Restricting political expression and action
2.3	3. Concentrating executive branch power on the leader
2.3	4. Taking or circumventing judicial power
2.3	5. Taking or circumventing legislative power
2.4	OVERALL AVERAGE

1. CONTROLLING INFORMATION

Limiting public information access

1A. Using de facto or official state media/discouraging independent media: +3

Scoring (by judge): +3 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Having a media outlet consistently echo the leader's talking points (a.k.a. state-run media)

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Tweeting about a Martin Gugino conspiracy story published by OAN (6/9/20) link

Inviting Sean Hannity on stage during a campaign rally and complimenting him on his coverage (3/22/20) link

Tweeting “With all of the Fake News coming out of NBC and the Networks, at what point is it appropriate to challenge their License? Bad for country!” (10/11/17) link

Appointee Michael Pack purging former appointees at Voice of America and Radio Free Europe and replacing them with less independent loyalists (6/19/20) link

Brian Karem's "hard pass" being revoked by the White House (3/23/20) link

Giving special permission to OANN to be in the press briefing room on days they weren't supposed to be (4/1/20) link

Appearing on Fox News 8 times more than any other network (7/26/19) link

Complaining that Fox News "isn't working for us anymore" (8/28/19) link

Calling the press (as a whole) "the enemy of the people" (4/5/19) link

According to John Bolton privately saying journalists should be jailed and forced to reveal their sources and that "these people should be executed. They are scumbags." 6/18/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

1B. Communicating misleading information directly to the public: +3

Scoring (by judge): +3 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Daily publication or broadcasting of direct and misleading public communications

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Starting 2020 campaign rallies in 2017 (2/12/19) link

Making false statements at a rally about cutting taxes, Democratic voters leaving the party, and the crowd size (1/28/20) link

"Burying" a CDC report on reopening businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic (6/21/20) link

Tweeting up to 200 times in one day (6/6/20) link

Tweeting the unsubstatiated claim that "There is NO WAY (ZERO) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent" (5/26/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

1C. Restricting unflattering books, data, art, reports, etc.: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: A restrictive policy being applied across all governmental agencies

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Federal Fisheries Management having a policy to no longer mention COVID-19 (6/26/20) link

Not publishing reviews for chemical applications, including health and safety information (3/18/20) link

"Burying" a CDC report on reopening businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic (5/7/20) link

Demanding CNN apologize for a poll showing him down 14 points to Biden (6/10/20) link

Suing to prevent publication of books by John Bolton and Mary Trump (6/24/20) link

Suing to prevent release of tax documents, keep Don McGahn from testifying to Congress (11/27/19) link

Spending 10% of campaign funds to prevent unflattering information from being published (5/12/20) link

Haivng his appointed HHS spokeman and his team review, seek to amend or block various CDC scientific reports on COVID-19 to health professionals (9/11/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

Shifting norms and conversations to limit thought/public scrutiny

1D. Undermining the idea of objective truths/reality: +3

Scoring (by judge): +3 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Involving government personnel in falsehoods

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Claiming repeatedly that "without Coronavirus testing 'we would have very few cases'" of the virus (5/15/20) link

Making false or misleading statements at an astronomical rate compared to predecessors (5/5/20) link

NOAA issuing an official statement to defend DT's hurricane warnings for Alabama after a National Weather Service information contradicted the POTUS 20 min after he spoke (9/7/19) link

Having the National Parks Service doctor photographs of the inauguration to make the crowd appear larger (9/6/18) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

1E. Glorifying nationalism, militarism, and physical aggression over liberal forms of international cooperation, diplomacy, or "soft power": +2

Scoring (by judge): +3 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Consistently infusing public statements with nationalist "us vs. them" zero-sum messages

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Calling for embrace nationalism and reject globalism in a UN speech (9/24/19) link

Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accordd, Iran nuclear deal, and UNESCO (11/21/18) link

Calling for border closures and sending troops to the southern border to defend it against an "invasion" of migrants including "many gang members" (10/30/18) link

Calling generals "losers" for defending NATO (1/17/20) link

Repeatedly demanding (and ultimately getting) a military parade (7/2/19) link

Portraying Mexican immigrant groups as full of rapists and gang members (8/31/16) link

Encouraging police officers not to shield arrestees' heads from doors (7/28/17) link

Tweeting "when the looting starts, the shooting starts" (5/29/20) link

Tweeting "LIBERATE MICHIGAN" and other states in support of armed protesters in the state capitol (4/17/20) link

Saying in a UN General Assembly speech "The free world must embrace its national foundations. It must not attempt to erase them or replace them... The future does not belong to globalists, the future belongs to patriots." (9/24/19) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

1F. Divisively framing issues to deflect attention from competence or ethics (subtext: politics is dirty/corrupt/to be avoided): +3

Scoring (by judge): +3 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Removing or completely ignoring conflict of interest rules

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Talking and Tweeting about "Obamagate" without being able to name or allege any specific criminal activity (5/14/20) link

Using "attack and bias frames" when Tweeting about the media (7/30/19) link

Characterizing dissent (e.g., kneeling during the national anthem) as unpatriotic (5/24/18) link

Claiming that a judge of Mexican descent ruled against him in a class action lawsuit because "he was a hater of Donald Trump" (6/5/16) link

Characterizing criticism of policies or Presidential behavior as simple hatred of the man (TDS) (6/18/18) link

Tweeting conspiracy theories (e.g., that HRC's deleted emails are in Ukraine) (9/25/19) link

Having "family members, appointees and advisers who’ve been accused of conflicts of interest, misuse of public funds, influence peddling, self-enrichment, working for foreign governments, failure to disclose information and violating ethics rules" (7/1/20) link

Failing to put businesses in a blind trust after winning the 2016 election (3/18/19) link

Operating the Trump Hotel in DC, used by numerous foreign dignitaries in apparent violation of the emoluments clause (5/14/20) link

Appointing numerous corrupt cabinet members and permitting corruption in agencies (7/1/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

CATEGORY AVERAGE = 2.8 (aggressively promoting autocracy)

2. RESTRICTING POLITICAL EXPRESSION AND ACTION

Minimizing public and media criticism

2A. Restricting rights to assemble to protest or otherwise criticize the leader: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Sanctioning constant surveillance and frequent arrests or other penalties for dissenting

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Referring to protesters against Confederate monuments "agitators" and "terrorists" (6/26/20) link

Saying Viktor Orban has done “a tremendous job in so many different ways,” noting that he was, “like me, a little bit controversial, but that’s okay.” (5/13/19) link

Demanding that governors "dominate" protesters(6/1/20) link

Proposing fees and other steps to limit protesting near the White House(10/12/18) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

2B. Othering protesters or political opponents: +3

Scoring (by judge): +3 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Calling opponents dogs or other terms portraying them as less than human

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Referring to protesters against Confederate monumnets "agitators" and "terrorists" (6/26/20) link

Claiming that a "75-year-old Buffalo protester 'could be an ANTIFA provocateur'” (6/9/20) link

Calling George Floyd protesters in Minnesota "thugs" (5/30/20) link

Retweeting a post accusing Ilhan Omar of partying on the anniversary of 9/11 (9/18/19) link

Painting Biden as "the leader of the 'radical left'" and a coddler of antifa (6/9/20) link

Calling Black Lives Matter a "symbol of hate" (7/1/20) link

Calling critical former employees and critics in media dogs (8/15/18) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

2C. Seeking to intimidate or deny the legitimacy of critics in media and the public: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Sanctioning long jail sentences or violence in retribution for simple reporting or opinion writing

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Repeatedly saying he wants to reopen libel laws (1/11/18) link

Demanding (and reportedly calling for a DOJ lawsuit) to block the AT&T/Time Warner merger as punishment based on unfavorable news coverage (3/4/19) link

Failing to denounce the conviction of Philipines journalist Maria Ressa for libel (6/21/20) link

After Khashoggi's killing saying at the 2019 G20 summit "It's an honor to be with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, a friend of mine, a man who has really done things in the last five years in terms of opening up Saudi Arabia" (10/2/19) link

Calling Putin "a strong leader" and saying there is no proof that he's having critical Russian journalists killed (12/20/15) link

Joking about getting rid of journalists while meeting with Putin (6/28/19) link

At a rally saying about Greg Gianforte "Any guy who can do a body slam, he’s my kind of — he’s my guy" (10/18/18) link

Using chemical irritants to clear protesters in order to visit St. John's Church for a photo op (6/5/20) link

Threatening to deploy the U.S. military against George Floyd protesters (6/1/20) link

In response to reports of him making disrespectful comments about dead or injured soldiers, tweeting “Jennifer Griffin should be fired for this kind of reporting. Never even called us for comment. Fox News is gone!” (9/6/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader:

Paring back Hong Kong's special status as China implements a security law restricting free speech and assembly (6/29/20) link

Obstructing free and fair elections

2D. Capturing support of elites by doing them favors: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Offering/providing significant tax breaks or other financial incentives to elites

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

The 2017 tax bill most benefiting the wealthy, despite the president claiming otherwise (11/25/19) link

Deregulation to benefit supporters in fossil fuel and chemical industries (4/1/18) link

Hiding the identities of major inauguration donors (5/5/18) link

Giving governmental positions to large donors (e.g., Devos in the cabinet, ambassadorships) (12/9/16) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

2E. Restricting election access or votes for opposition voters or candidates: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Passing new laws or other measures to significantly restrict voting access

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Blocking USPS funding and saying "if we don’t make a deal, that means they don’t get the money. That means they can’t have universal mail-in voting, they just can’t have it.” (8/13/20) link

Tweeting "Delay the [2020] Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???" (7/30/20) link

Installing a big campaign contributor to lead the Postal Service, resulting in delivery delays before a vote-by-mail-dependent election (8/7/20) link

Cancelation of GOP primaries in 2020 (9/16/19) link

Making false claims while opposing mail-in voting during COVID-19 (6/22/20) link

Seeking to reduce representation of residents of Hispanic decent by trying to include a citizenship question on the U.S. Census (blocked by the Supreme Court) (6/27/19) link

Jokingly telling Putin not to meddle in the next election while meeting with him (8/28/19) link

Requesting that Russia and China interfere in presidential elections (10/3/19) link

Ignoring advisors and calling to congratulate Putin after winning a likely rigged re-election (2/18/19) link

Claiming the 2016 election was rigged and that thousands cast fraudulent ballots (1/24/17) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

2F. Avoiding transparency around campaign funding and operatives: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Ignoring a law or rule considered restrictive for financing a campaign

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Breaking campaign finance laws by secretly paying off women with whom he had affairs (12/14/18) link

Failing to provide an accurate list of 2017 inauguration donors (4/5/19) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

CATEGORY AVERAGE = 2.2 (aggressively promoting autocracy)

3. CONCENTRATING EXECUTIVE BRANCH POWER ON THE LEADER

Altering roles to suit the leader’s interests

3A. Weakening agencies' and directors' roles, autonomy, or scopes of influence: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Eliminating an agency not considered useful for advancing the leader's interests

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Disbanding The Global Health Security and Biodefense unit and having certain members reassigned to other units within the NSC (3/25/20) link

Having COVID-19 hospitalization data sent to HHS rather than the CDC (7/15/20) link

Repeatedly cutting IRS funding (3/16/17) link

Repeatedly cutting HUD funding (3/4/20) link

Publicly backing Putin over U.S. intelligence assessments of Russian interference in the 2016 election (7/19/18) link

Eliminating or relaxing EPA regulations, particularly regarding air pollution and emissions (5/15/20) link

Saying "excuse me, excuse me, I don’t care what the military says. I make the decisions." (7/19/20) link

Claiming he is the "chief law enforcement officer" of the U.S. (2/18/20) link

22 acting directors serving 1 out of every 9 days between 2017 and 2020 in agencies and departments (2/21/20) link

Blocking CDC director Redfield from testifying to the house Education and Labor Committee about reopening schools (7/17/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

3B. Reducing reliance on scientific, economic, legal, or diplomatic experts to guide policy: +3

Scoring (by judge): +3 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Installing family members or other unskilled loyalists to replace scientific or economic experts

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Jared and Ivanka having official roles link

Appointing Richard Grenell acting Director of Intelligence, despite having "no background in intelligence and no top-level management experience" (2/20/20) link

Appointing Ben Carson to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, despite having "no prior housing, executive or government background" (9/20/18) link

Retweeting Chuck Woolery saying "Everyone is lying. The CDC, Media, Democrats, our Doctors, not all but most ,that we are told to trust." (7/13/20) link

White House aids circulating "aides are circulating talking points attacking [Fauci's] past statements about the coronavirus pandemic" for downplaying its severity (7/13/20) link

Nightly phone calls with Sean Hannity (1/9/19( link

Giuliani conducting foreign policy in Ukraine on Trump’s behalf without confirmation or having a contract with the U.S. government (1/15/20) link

Hiding details of face-to-face meetings with Vladimir Putin from his own administration (1/13/19) link

Engaging in exclusively personal diplomacy with Kim Jong Un (4/24/20) link

Telling Rex Tillerson he was wasting his time engaging diplomatically with North Korea (6/1/18) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

3C. Using the military for personal purposes: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Having a military group enforce a domestic policy

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Repeatedly asking for (and eventually getting) a military parade in DC (6/3/19) link

Forcing West Point grads to return to school and quarantine for 2 weeks just to be able to speak to them (and have a photo op) (6/13/20) link

Referring to "my generals" and "my military," giving speeches and making appearances with uniformed officers 6/13/20) link

Requesting that the G8 reform with Russia a member without addressing annexation of Crimea (6/2/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

3D. Using other governments (especially autocratic ones) to help advance the leader's personal or political interests: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Conditioning aid or trade on policies harmful to the leader's political oponents

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Ivanka being awarded multiple Chinese trademarks (11/7/18) link

Repeatedly pressing Ukraine President Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden's son Hunter (11/21/19) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

Focusing on loyalty to the leader (vs. a constitution or other laws)

3E. Making loyalty to the leader a governmental job requirement (especially in law enforcement): +3

Scoring (by judge): +3 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Employing a loyalty-based firing or reassignment policy across all federal agencies

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Johnny McEntee, head of the Office of Presidential Personnel, had "a meeting to instruct departments to search for people not devoted to the president so they can be removed" (2/22/20) link

Firing Jeff Sessions for insufficient loyalty (11/7/18) link

Seeking to remove FBI General Counsel Dana Boente for participating in the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election (6/3/20) link

Firing Geoffrey Berman, "who led the Southern District of New York’s (SDNY) investigations into two of Trump’s personal lawyers, as well as other probes that had rankled the President" (6/22/20) link

Firing FBI director James Comey after requesting he pledge personal loyalty (according to Comey's testimony to Congress) (12/21/17) link

Political appointee questionnaire with a questions about comments on media about the POTUS, other loyalty-related measures (3/5/20) link

Having cabinet members take turns praising him and expressing gratitude in a public meeting (6/12/17) link

A week into his first term telling the FBI director "I need loyalty. I expect loyalty." (3/6/18) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

3F. Minimizing accountability systems within the executive branch: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Removing or replacing independent accountability personnel

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Firing 4 federal inspectors general in 6 weeks (spring 2020) (5/18/20) link

Removing Alexander Vindman and his twin brother from their posts at The White House after Alexander testified in the impeachment trial (2/7/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

CATEGORY AVERAGE = 2.3 (aggressively promoting autocracy)

4. TAKING OR CIRCUMVENTING JUDICIAL POWER

Manipulating legal systems for personal benefit

4A. Using intimidation or manipulating court composition to increase loyalty: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Creating new loyal courts or dissolving insufficiently loyal ones

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Packing the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals with conservative judges (6/6/18) link

Appointing 107 judges to federal courts in 3 years (the most since Kennedy) (5/22/19) link

Claiming an inherent conflict of interest for a judge of Mexican descent deciding his Trump University class action lawsuit because of ethnicity (6/6/17) link

Claiming that a Muslim judge could be biased against him (6/5/16) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

4B. Using the justice system to intimidate political opponents or protect the leader or their allies: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Protecting friends from investigation or prosecution

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Calling for Adam Schiff to be tried for treason (11/30/19) link

Using the US Justice Department to investigate Jim Comey, Andrew McCabe, and John Brennan (all of whom have criticized him) (1/17/20) link

Easing Roger Stone sentencing recommendation (6/23/20) link

Pardoning Joe Arpaio and Dinesh D'Souza (3/19/20) link

Pardoning two Navy seals on trial in military courts for war crimes and restoring Eddie Gallagher's rank after he was demoted for posing with the body of a detainee (11/15/19) link

The Justice Department withdrawing charges against Michael Flynn after he admitted to lying to the FBI (6/24/20) link

Commuting the jail sentence of longtime advisor Roger Stone (7/10/20) link

Saying he has the “absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department" (12/29/19) link

Saying "I absolutely have the right to pardon myself" (6/4/18) link

31 of 36 pardons to date advancing a personal political goal, involving a personal connection orto someone he knows well, being brought to his attention by TV or a TV commentator, or apparently based on his admiration for celebrity (7/11/20) link

Having the Justice Department take over his defense in a defamation suit brought by an alleged rape victim (9/9/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

Assuming judicial roles

4C. Creating/deploying unaccountable law enforcement agencies: +3

Scoring (by judge): +3 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Deploying a secret police force to quell dissent

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Unidentified law enforcement agents used to police DC protests (6/5/20) link

Allowing Border Patrol to detain immigrants and asylum seekers largely without oversight (11/4/19) link

Federal law enforcement officers "using unmarked vehicles to drive around downtown Portland [OR] and detain protesters since at least July 14 (7/16/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

4D. Declaring emergency/other authority to detain or use violence against critics or a group based on religion, ethnicity, or sexuality: +2

Scoring (by judge): +1 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Sanctioning a domestic ethnic cleansing campaign

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Saying "there were people over in New Jersey that were watching it, a heavy Arab population, that were cheering as the buildings came down" on 9/11 (11/21/15) link

Not addressing human rights violations in Kashmir during an official visit with Modi in India ( link

Allegedly supporting Xi's concentration camps for Uighurs (6/17/20) link

Criminalizing protests like those against the Keystone XL pipeline (6/5/19) link

Detaining immigrants and asylum-seekers (7/1/20) link

Fast-tracking deportations without a hearing before an immigration judge (7/22/19) link

Requesting expanded emergency powers during the COVID-19 pandemic (3/21/20) link

Declaring (and extending) a state of emergency on the southern border in order to obtain wall funding (2/14/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader:

Calling for sanctions against China based on treatment of Uighurs (11/16/18) link

Avoiding legal obstacles and accountability

4E. Ignoring court rulings on personal or policy matters unfavorable to the leader: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Defying court orders deemed unsatisfactory

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Defying a court order to turn over emails about Ukraine based on a FOIA lawsuit (4/1/20) link

Repeatedly "circumventing liberal-leaning lower courts and heading straight to the conservative-majority Supreme Court" (2/1/18) link

Defying "a federal court order compelling the full restoration of DACA" (7/28/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

4F. Preventing investigations into the leader's potentially criminal activities: +3

Scoring (by judge): +3 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Claiming privilege or immunity from investigation or prosecution

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Claiming immunity from criminal investigation while in office (5/12/20) link

Claiming immunity from being sued by people like Jean Carroll (for allegedly raping her) (3/4/20) link

Claiming "that executive privilege immunizes his close aides from an obligation to testify before or to turn over to Congress documents in their possession." (12/19/19) link

Claiming "I have an Article 2, where I have the right to do whatever I want as president." (7/23/19) link

Defying Congressional subpoenas during the impeachment investigation (11/4/19) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

CATEGORY AVERAGE = 2.3 (aggressively promoting autocracy)

5. TAKING OR CIRCUMVENTING LEGISLATIVE POWER

Assuming legislative roles

5A. Blocking or redirecting government spending to suit the leader's interests: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Repeatedly granting large sums to pet projects or allies

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Lack of transparency on PPP loans, headed by Mnuchin (6/12/20) link

Saying "I'll be the oversight" for proper distribution of PPP loans (3/23/20) link

PPP loans going to oil and gas companies, big donors (5/3/20) link

Attempting to divert $2.5 billion for a wall on the southern border (6/26/20) link

Witholding funding for Ukraine while asking Zelensky to publicy announce an investigation into Joe Biden (12/29/20) link

More PPE shipments to swings states like Florida (3/20/20) link

Not distributing COVID relief funds to Native Americans in a timely manner (6/12/20) link

Threatening to block federal funding unless schools open for in-person learning in fall 2020 (7/8/20) link

Threatening (by Tweet) to revoke colleges' tax-exempt status for indoctrinating students (7/13/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

5B. Making laws or taking military actions without legislative approval: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Stripping legislative bodies of powers or dissolving them entirely

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Issuing a record number of executive orders in his first 100 days in office (2/14/17) link

Banning transgender soldiers in the U.S. military (5/16/20) link

Banning Muslims from traveling to the U.S. (3/1/20) link

Demanding that governors allow churches to reopen as essential service providers and threatening those opposed to the idea (5/22/20) link

Providing no notice or detailed explanation to Congress about the need to kill General Solemani (1/13/20) link

Dropping 7,423 bombs in Afghanistan in 2019 (a record) (1/28/20) link

Removing transparency rules for drone strikes after making 2,243 in the first two years in office (vs. 1,878 in Obama's 8 years) (3/7/19) link

Sending the National Guard to DC to police racial injustice protests (6/7/20) link

Sending 5200 military personnel to patrol the southern border (10/30/18) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

5C. Not enforcing or delaying enforcement of laws disliked by the leader: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Shutting down the government to prevent a law disliked by the leader from going into effect

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Delaying Russian sanctions in 2018 (1/13/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

5D. Changing or reinforcing election laws to suit the leader's own political interests: +1

Scoring (by judge): +1 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Ending or extending term limits for the chief executive

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

"Joking" about seeking a third term at a campaign rally (9/10/19) link

Tweeting "Delay the [2020] Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???" (7/30/20) link

Threatening to sue Nevada (and deny federal funding to other states) for expanding voting by mail for the 2020 election (8/3/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

Avoiding legislative accountability

5E. Aoviding legislative confirmation for appointments: +2

Scoring (by judge): +2 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Issuing a decree that legislative confirmation is no longer required for appointments

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

"I like 'acting' because I can move so quickly," he told CBS' Face The Nation in February, adding, "It gives me more flexibility" (4/14/19) link

Designating Anthony Tata "the official ‘performing the duties of' the deputy undersecretary of defense policy" amid Senate concern about his fitness (8/2/20) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD

5F. Preventing legislative investigations from occurring: +3

Scoring (by judge): +3 (TW)

Example of an action that would merit a +3 score: Ignoring subpoenas in an impeachment investigation

Examples of pro-autocratic actions by the leader:

Defying Congressional subpoenas during the impeachment investigation (11/4/19) link

Obstructing the Mueller Investigation in multiple ways (4/21/19) link

Claiming "that executive privilege immunizes his close aides from an obligation to testify" in an impeachment inquiry (12/19/19) link

Claiming "absolute immunity" from Congressional oversight (11/26/19) link

Examples of anti-autocratic actions by the leader: TBD