Scott Detrow

And that order is likely headed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court eventually, which has taken a very expansive view lately of presidential power. Republican Senator Jim Risch of Idaho summed up the state of affairs succinctly. For all of you who haven't noticed, this is a different day in Washington, D.C., Consider this. Trump is testing the limits of presidential power.

And that order is likely headed all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court eventually, which has taken a very expansive view lately of presidential power. Republican Senator Jim Risch of Idaho summed up the state of affairs succinctly. For all of you who haven't noticed, this is a different day in Washington, D.C., Consider this. Trump is testing the limits of presidential power.

Is it a political flex or a subversion of the Constitution? From NPR, I'm Scott Detrow.

Is it a political flex or a subversion of the Constitution? From NPR, I'm Scott Detrow.

Is it a political flex or a subversion of the Constitution? From NPR, I'm Scott Detrow.

It's Consider This from NPR. Most presidents want as much power as they can get, and it's not unusual to see them claim authority that they don't in the end actually have. We saw it over the last term when former President Joe Biden tried to unilaterally forgive hundreds of billions of dollars in federal student loans.

It's Consider This from NPR. Most presidents want as much power as they can get, and it's not unusual to see them claim authority that they don't in the end actually have. We saw it over the last term when former President Joe Biden tried to unilaterally forgive hundreds of billions of dollars in federal student loans.

It's Consider This from NPR. Most presidents want as much power as they can get, and it's not unusual to see them claim authority that they don't in the end actually have. We saw it over the last term when former President Joe Biden tried to unilaterally forgive hundreds of billions of dollars in federal student loans.

Or when Biden announced days before leaving office that the 28th Amendment on gender equality was now the law of the land, which is, of course, not how it works. So are the opening moves of the Trump presidency just a spicier version of the standard playbook or an imminent threat to constitutional government as we know it?

Or when Biden announced days before leaving office that the 28th Amendment on gender equality was now the law of the land, which is, of course, not how it works. So are the opening moves of the Trump presidency just a spicier version of the standard playbook or an imminent threat to constitutional government as we know it?

Or when Biden announced days before leaving office that the 28th Amendment on gender equality was now the law of the land, which is, of course, not how it works. So are the opening moves of the Trump presidency just a spicier version of the standard playbook or an imminent threat to constitutional government as we know it?

We're going to get two different points of view on that now, one from Ronald Prusin, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Toronto, and also Kenneth Lewandy, a political scientist at the University of Michigan. He's also the author of the book, False Front, The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age. Welcome to both of you. Thank you. Let's start with you, Ronald.

We're going to get two different points of view on that now, one from Ronald Prusin, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Toronto, and also Kenneth Lewandy, a political scientist at the University of Michigan. He's also the author of the book, False Front, The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age. Welcome to both of you. Thank you. Let's start with you, Ronald.

We're going to get two different points of view on that now, one from Ronald Prusin, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Toronto, and also Kenneth Lewandy, a political scientist at the University of Michigan. He's also the author of the book, False Front, The Failed Promise of Presidential Power in a Polarized Age. Welcome to both of you. Thank you. Let's start with you, Ronald.

Critics of Trump are sounding all kinds of alarms about the way that he's used executive power. Supporters, again, as we've heard, say this is just what presidents do. Actually, Kenneth, let me start with you. What do you think about that?

Critics of Trump are sounding all kinds of alarms about the way that he's used executive power. Supporters, again, as we've heard, say this is just what presidents do. Actually, Kenneth, let me start with you. What do you think about that?

Critics of Trump are sounding all kinds of alarms about the way that he's used executive power. Supporters, again, as we've heard, say this is just what presidents do. Actually, Kenneth, let me start with you. What do you think about that?

Kenneth, you said in an interview that the Trump administration, the White House, is almost like an eye of Sauron, and it can focus on some parts of the globe. But they're missing hobbits, you know, elsewhere and can only really focus in on one part at a time. It's a big federal government.

Kenneth, you said in an interview that the Trump administration, the White House, is almost like an eye of Sauron, and it can focus on some parts of the globe. But they're missing hobbits, you know, elsewhere and can only really focus in on one part at a time. It's a big federal government.

Kenneth, you said in an interview that the Trump administration, the White House, is almost like an eye of Sauron, and it can focus on some parts of the globe. But they're missing hobbits, you know, elsewhere and can only really focus in on one part at a time. It's a big federal government.