100 Days of Democratic Destruction: Trump, Executive Orders, and Constitutional Crisis

In this essential episode of The Oath and The Office, hosts Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang dissect Trump’s first 100 days, highlighting dangerous executive orders that threaten constitutional democracy. They examine two alarming categories: orders so clearly unconstitutional that courts may swiftly block them, and subtler actions rooted in the “unitary executive theory” paving the road toward autocracy. Despite this grim landscape, Trump’s poll numbers reveal a weakening presidency—are historical democratic norms finally rallying public resistance? Corey and John also provide a deep investigative look into the Supreme Court’s temporary halt on Trump’s controversial deportations to El Salvador, exposing the flawed, punitive point system used against vulnerable migrants. Plus, they delve into the troubling arrest of a Wisconsin judge, drawing powerful historical parallels to the state’s legacy of judicial resistance against slavery. Ending with optimism, they cover a federal judge’s ruling protecting Voice of America from Trump’s political interference, underscoring the ongoing fight for judicial independence and free press.