The presidency's power has expanded significantly over the years, with Donald Trump's second term exemplifying the potential for unchecked executive authority. This trend of power accumulation has historical roots, with presidents from George Washington to modern-day leaders incrementally increasing their influence through various means. Recent administrations, including those of Obama and Biden, have set precedents that Trump has exploited, leading to a cycle of escalating power grabs. The expansion of executive power has resulted in extreme policies and politicization of government institutions, highlighting the urgent need for reform. Potential solutions include judicial intervention, congressional reforms, and even a constitutional amendment to restore balance and prevent further presidential overreach.

Donald Trump's second term has illustrated the extensive latent power of the presidency by eliminating checks within the executive branch, disrespecting judicial processes, and abusing government authority to target opponents.

Presidential power has gradually increased since George Washington's era, with major expansions during the Civil War, New Deal, and aided by mass communication, congressional delegations, and supportive Supreme Court decisions.

Many of Trump's controversial actions mirror those of past presidents, such as Nixon's tariffs, Bush's national security claims, and Obama's executive orders, showing a pattern of building on predecessors' excesses.

Presidents have historically used pardons for political and personal reasons, with Trump taking this practice to new extremes, while Biden preemptively pardoned family and administration members.

Recent presidents, including Trump and Biden, have disregarded statutory restrictions, fired protected officials, and not enforced certain federal laws, exacerbating the trend of executive overreach.

The expansion of presidential power has led to extreme policies, policy instability, and increased politicization of government branches, undermining the Supreme Court's role in resolving executive power disputes.

There is a pressing need for reforms to curtail presidential power, with potential avenues including Supreme Court interventions, congressional restructuring, or a constitutional amendment to redefine executive limits.