A year into his second term, President Donald Trump has moved to fundamentally reshape the American presidency through an "extravagant" use of executive power designed in his own image. According to a roundtable of New York Times reporters, his first year back in office has been defined by the personalization of federal authority, the dismantling of institutional independence, and aggressive military actions abroad.

The Transformation of Executive Power

Dismantling Independence: The administration has jettisoned the long-standing custom of agency independence from executive authority.

Personalization of Justice: Trump has directed the Attorney General to prosecute specific individuals and has even sought a $230 million settlement from his own Department of Justice for past legal grievances.

Physical Imprint: The President is actively building "monuments to himself," including a new White House ballroom funded by corporate donations and efforts to rename landmarks like the Kennedy Center and Dulles Airport after himself.

The "One-Way Ratchet": Analysts suggest these expansions of power act as a "one-way ratchet," meaning future presidents are unlikely to voluntarily return to previous norms of self-restraint.

Foreign Policy and Military Force

The administration has utilized military prowess to achieve spectacular successes, though often through legally contested means:

Major Operations: Trump authorized the bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities and a ground raid into Venezuela that effected regime change.

Extrajuridical Actions: The President has reclassified drug traffickers as "armed combatants," allowing the military to target them with lethal force rather than traditional law enforcement methods.

Global Alliances: While the administration has successfully pushed NATO members to increase defense spending, these aggressive tactics have significantly strained trust with traditional allies.

The Road Ahead: "Unfinished Business"

Reporters identified several key areas where the administration intends to escalate its efforts in the coming years:

Mass Deportations: A major focus remains on interior immigration enforcement, utilizing ICE and federal troops to conduct mass sweeps in American cities to remove millions of undocumented residents.

Targeting the Left: Following the assassination of activist Charlie Kirk, the administration may use the Department of Justice to dismantle and prosecute major institutional groups on the left.

Global Realignment: Trump appears sympathetic to dividing the world into "spheres of influence," where the U.S. dominates the Western Hemisphere while allowing powers like Russia and China more room to exert control in their own regions.