Right now, the news coverage is about whether or not Senate Majority Leader John Thune will bow to Trump’s wishes and, after Republicans take over the upper chamber in 2025, declare the Senate in recess for long enough that Trump can make whatever appointments he wants. Nominees like RFK Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth and Matt Gaetz would then be able to bypass Senate approval and stay in office for two years.
There’s plenty of reporting elsewhere of how disastrous these appointments would be. So we won’t go into it here; just Google it or watch the news.
But what we will ask here is why. I say there are only two reasons why Trump would appoint cabinet members who are so obviously unqualified, dangerous and compromised:
- As a “fuck you,” to tell everyone that his power is absolute, and
- To burn the American government to the ground without skipping a beat, because that’s what Vladimir Putin wants
The speculation about what Congress will do as Trump tries to ram his nominees home is all over the news. But what’s not being widely reported at the moment is that with a minimum of cooperation by Speaker Johnson (a given), Trump can probably just ignore Congress completely.
From NPR:
Is there another way for recess appointments to go through?
Buckle up.
Short answer — yes — and it has to do with Congress adjourning.
Both chambers have to consent to adjourn for longer than three days. If one chamber agrees to adjourn and the other doesn’t, then the House and Senate are considered in a state of disagreement.
Cue the Constitution, which says: “in Case of Disagreement between [the House and Senate], with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, [the president] may adjourn them to such Time as he think proper.”
So a president could adjourn Congress if there is disagreement between the two chambers and use that as a way to ram his nominees through. It’s something Trump previously threatened to do during his first term.
All Johnson and Thune would have to do is to disagree on the time of adjournment. If you don’t think Trump will force them to do this, you haven’t been paying attention. With a compliant House, once Trump runs roughshod over the Senate’s right to “advise and consent,” all power resides in Trump, and Trump alone. The people are powerless.
Unless, of course, the courts stop him.
(Let me know when you stop laughing.)
Thus ends 249 years of American democracy.
What happens next will happen quickly.
Silencing the Press
House bill H.R. 9495 will give Trump the power to silence opposing voices in the media by declaring them “terrorist-supporting” organizations. While the bill may not pass in the Democratic-controlled Senate, it will presumably pass once Republicans take control of the upper chamber in January. At that point, media outlets who don’t bend the knee will be brought to heel, or silenced entirely.
America as a Police State
Trump will declare a “national emergency” and order the military to implement his mass deportation program. There will be detention camps, family separations and worse; Americans will be forced to spy on each other, whole communities will be torn apart and the financial consequences for the country will be dire.
Justice as Instrument of Personal Vengeance
Trump will pardon the January 6 insurrectionists and, under the direction of Matt Gaetz, the Justice Department will become Trump’s personal Gestapo, targeting anyone he considers an enemy. He may even go so far as to jail his political opponents; one thing we know is that with Trump, there is no bottom. So be prepared.
What can we do about it? Nothing. Not yet, anyway. But at least we know what’s coming, and, as they say, forewarned is forearmed.
Make friends. Stick together. And hang on…
