What "precedents" has Trump created so far?

date
26/08/2025
Unprecedented in history: 1. Ordering the dismissal of Federal Reserve Director Powell - Columbia Law School professor Lev Menand stated that this move is unprecedented, and if Trump wins, it almost means the end of the independence of the U.S. central bank. 2. Expelling immigrants citing the Alien Enemy Act of 1798 - Historians say that this wartime law had never been used to expel illegal immigrants before. The U.S. Supreme Court later blocked Trump from using the Act. 3. Shutting down government agencies by cutting positions and cutting off funding - Previous U.S. presidents could only achieve the closure of government agencies through cooperation with Congress, and it was unprecedented for a president to unilaterally abolish agencies or departments. 4. Stopping federal funding to universities - Obama did not fulfill similar threats, and Nixon only revoked the tax-exempt status of universities. Trump withholding $400 million in funding from Columbia University has no comparable precedent. 5. Declaring a national emergency related to energy - Former U.S. Presidents Nixon and Carter both actively dealt with oil shortages, but neither of them officially declared a national emergency. Unprecedented in modern history: 1. Attempting to exert broad powers over independent federal agencies - Trump fired inspectors general, threatened to fire the Federal Reserve Chairman... One must go back to the Roosevelt era to find cases of firing officials without valid reasons. 2. Ordering or requesting an end to birthright citizenship - Trump signed an executive order denying birthright citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants and foreign residents. The most recent case challenging this right dates back to the late 19th century. 3. Imposing universal tariffs - Trump imposed high tariffs on trade partners, the last time the U.S. imposed high tariffs was in 1930 with the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, which significantly raised tariffs on thousands of imported goods.