Donald Trump’s second term represents a radical departure from his first, defined by an "imperial presidency" where internal constraints have vanished and loyalty is the primary requirement for senior staff. Trump now operates with a sense of historical destiny, viewing himself alongside figures like Napoleon and Genghis Khan, which drives high-stakes, unvetted foreign policy decisions such as the push for regime change in Iran. This administration utilizes the Department of Justice as a tool for retribution, where the investigative process itself serves as a punishment for political adversaries. Decision-making has devolved into chaotic, nonlinear "rolling bull sessions" in the Oval Office, often divorced from expert advice or reality. New York Times correspondent Jonathan Swan, co-author of *Regime Change*, details how this environment allows Trump to project power without the friction of traditional institutional guardrails.
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