Why does Trump keep threatening to use power he doesn’t have?

Because he's an idiot?

It works well with the base even if they know he can’t actually do anything and anything he can’t do he can just chalk up to the “Deep State” the “lamestream media” or the “do nothing Democrats.”

He learned it from Obama.

I have to go back six decades or more, but I recall that making threats they had no power to implement was a favourite tactic of the schoolyard bully. Of course, there is no way a President of the United States of America could be a bully, so we must look for another explanation.

Honestly, this is what happens when people are hired beyond their capabilities. You'd think that the first requirement is to understand how the law works - he's shown on numerous occasions that he doesn't.

Lashing out and making constant threats is what abusers do when they're losing control. Not to get all 'Dr.Phil' about it, but it's true. People don't fly off the handle when they HAVE control.

Michelle Obama would do a better job than most men I should think (just a guess.)

Kentonio said:

In just the last few weeks he’s repeatedly made threats he has no legal or constitutional power to carry out.

Threatening to override state governors if they don’t re-open churches. Doesn’t have the power.

Threatens to withhold federal funding to states unless they re-open how he wants. Doesn’t have the power, that’s upto Congress.

Threatens to shutdown social media. Obviously has no power to do so.

Is his megalomania just totally out of control, or does he think making threats he can’t deliver on somehow makes him sound tough?

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My impression is that, to a lot of his followers, it does sound tough.

Kentonio said:

In just the last few weeks he’s repeatedly made threats he has no legal or constitutional power to carry out.

Threatening to override state governors if they don’t re-open churches. Doesn’t have the power.

Threatens to withhold federal funding to states unless they re-open how he wants. Doesn’t have the power, that’s upto Congress.

Threatens to shutdown social media. Obviously has no power to do so.

Is his megalomania just totally out of control, or does he think making threats he can’t deliver on somehow makes him sound tough?

Click to expand...

Like all fearful men he assumed that with power would come the ability to control the events around him. Now that he has achieved power it is hard for him to fathom how he is still limited and so when he is angered he lashes out with threats because he feels power should allow him to do so.

Considering that the Senate will bow to whatever he does, no matter how outrageous, I'm not sure that he doesn't have all the power he claims to have.

The Founding Fathers made the error of presuming that the equal branch of Congress would never roll over for the president.

Darkhorse said:

He learned it from Obama.

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Yeah. The Constitutional lawyer made that mistake.

What a ridiculous assertion.


It's just odd to me that Trump supporters talk about "deep state" and love the constitution, and now they have a president who just wants to poop all over the constitution...I guess the constitution is part of the deep state that is trying to unseat him OR limit his power.
Deep State....Constitution....deep state....constitution.... I guess Trump hates them both.

Kentonio said:

Example of Obama doing this please?

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I'm hoping sarcasm lol.

You never know around here though. Sarcasm is a bit of weird thing on this forum.

Because he thinks he does have it; and the people whose job it is to tell him he doesn't have been either bribed or bullied into fearful obedience.

Kentonio said:

megalomania just totally out of control

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He's an egomaniac and has been since day 1.

He's threatening to move the Republican convention to another state unless crowd size restrictions (because of social distancing) are lifted.

Basically, he's throwing a tantrum because he can't have a bigly crowd to stroke his ego.

How incredibly insecure he must be.

Kentonio said:

In just the last few weeks he’s repeatedly made threats he has no legal or constitutional power to carry out.

Threatening to override state governors if they don’t re-open churches. Doesn’t have the power.

Threatens to withhold federal funding to states unless they re-open how he wants. Doesn’t have the power, that’s upto Congress.

Threatens to shutdown social media. Obviously has no power to do so.

Is his megalomania just totally out of control, or does he think making threats he can’t deliver on somehow makes him sound tough?

Click to expand...

...because a good portion of his base loves authoritarianism.

I remember (but can't think when or where) seeing an interview from him back in the 70's. I can't believe how mild mannered and real he came across.

He obviously did a better job of being a sociopath back then.

Kentonio said:

In just the last few weeks he’s repeatedly made threats he has no legal or constitutional power to carry out.

Threatening to override state governors if they don’t re-open churches. Doesn’t have the power.

Threatens to withhold federal funding to states unless they re-open how he wants. Doesn’t have the power, that’s upto Congress.

Threatens to shutdown social media. Obviously has no power to do so.

Is his megalomania just totally out of control, or does he think making threats he can’t deliver on somehow makes him sound tough?

Click to expand...

What are you talking about?

Trump: "When somebody is the President of the United States, the authority is total. And that's the way it's gonna be. It's total. It's total."

A president who was an outsider with no political or military background is what his supporters wanted, so this is a feature, not a bug. He promised to run this country like he ran his businesses (multiple bankruptcies, documented racial issues, cheating the system, bullying and stiffing others, and vexatious litigation) and is doing his best to keep this promise. They wanted a salesman instead of a statesman and got exactly that.

The question is why his supporters still support him. I figure it's because in the age of reality TV they don't recognize true leadership. They have no respect for a calm, steady hand, and have mistaken yelling threats and insults as strength when it is just simply bluster from a school yard bully who is used to getting his way and not paying the consequences for his mistakes. Few people are also willing to reassess decisions they have fought hard over If it means admitting they were wrong.

Whatever the reasons, and there are a few that are more sinister I can think of, it can't be pro-life issues because Grandma and Grandpa are now acceptable losses.

Kentonio said:

Is his megalomania just totally out of control, or does he think making threats he can’t deliver on somehow makes him sound tough?

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Both, I think. Plus he simply doesn't care whether something he says is true or not.

Trump has all the power. He's got an article two, but he doesn't even talk about it.