By Kenneth Tiven
President Donald Trump has escalated his so-called war on drug smugglers by designating them as terrorists and deploying a strengthened US Navy presence in the South Atlantic. Navy SEALs teams have reportedly been destroying small boats allegedly carrying drugs—often without regard for the survival of the crew. The strategy showcases force, but has triggered sharp criticism of the president’s increasingly unilateral actions.
This controversy is heightened by the administration’s well-practiced reliance on contradictions and evasions. Critics note the oddity of declaring a renewed drug war even as Trump pardoned the former president of Honduras, who was serving a 45-year sentence for smuggling 400 tonnes of narcotics into the United States.
THE “DOUBLE-TAP” FIRESTORM
The diplomatic and political uproar intensified after revelations that, following the destruction of an alleged drug-running vessel, a Navy SEALs team launched a second missile—a “double-tap”—to kill two survivors clinging to the wreckage. This act violates US military law and international conventions on war. According to allegations, the order came directly from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who was watching the operation via live helicopter video feed.
THE REAL TARGET: VENEZUELA
These events appear to be part of a broader agenda: removing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power. Since taking office in 2013, Maduro has ruled Venezuela with increasingly autocratic control—a style of governance Trump publicly condemns while ignoring his own anti-democratic impulses.
Trump declared Venezuelan airspace closed and issued a blunt ultimatum for Maduro to step down. Later, when asked how the conversation went, he replied: “I wouldn’t say it went well or badly, it was a phone call”—a characteristic piece of White House wordplay.
This political theatre echoes earlier empty threats, such as the demand that Ukraine accept a Russian-dictated surrender by Thanksgiving—a deadline that passed quietly. Trump now claims Vladimir Putin warned of attacking additional European nations if Ukraine fails to comply. Such “fake deadlines,” like fabricated statistics, are hallmarks of authoritarian messaging, something Putin and Maduro understand well.
A DEMOCRACY’S SLOW UNRAVELLING
America under Trump is increasingly resembling Putin’s Russia: a president acting without constraint; a marginalized legislature; and a judiciary often hesitant to challenge executive power. A secretive national police force detains people on vague suspicions. Oligarchs, ever loyal, bankroll a grand ballroom—intended as Trump’s personal architectural monument, dwarfing even the White House.
At the Pentagon, a television talk-show host with minimal military experience now directs national defence. Predictably, the military has begun sinking tiny open-hulled boats off Venezuela, claiming—without evidence—they are transporting narcotics 2,475 kilometres to the United States, an implausible assertion.
A bipartisan Congressional investigation is now underway into potential war crimes, including the killing of survivors at sea. When questioned about consequences for Hegseth, Trump denied prior knowledge while insisting he is “the toughest leader Maduro has ever seen”.
ECONOMIC MIRAGE AND AI ILLUSION
As the US retreats from rule-based international leadership, it complains endlessly about cost. Trump’s tariff policy remains erratic and unpredictable. The Supreme Court—its majority long accused of ideological blindness—may finally be recognizing the difference between conservative principle and outright chaos.
Meanwhile, the Wall Street economy is buoyed by vast investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI), much of it controlled by oligarchs who envision a post-democratic America governed like a private computer simulation. The public narrative around AI disguises the fact that much of it functions as glorified search with fabricated answers, and that its current deployment may cause more harm than good.
The real America—the working families struggling with the cost of living—fares worse. Wages for most workers lag far behind the soaring compensation of the top 10 percent, who congratulate themselves as “masters of the universe”.
Other nations, particularly in Scandinavia, demonstrate that equitable treatment of citizens is possible. The United States, however, remains entangled in a belief system that treats poverty as natural and prosperity as the rightful domain of the wealthy—a worldview rooted in Old World aristocracy. Even the revolutionary American Constitution reflected the prejudices of 1787, ignoring women and permitting slavery to secure political agreement among the colonies.
THE AGING STRONGMAN
Subtlety vanishes in Trump’s orbit. Now an aging, physically and emotionally diminished man, he clings to the belief that he is forging a grand legacy. Historians are likely to see only global damage and domestic decay.
When political pressure mounts, the administration stages televised cabinet meetings in which each official takes turns lavishing praise on the president. At a recent gathering, Trump visibly fought bouts of sleep—brief, camera-captured lapses that raised questions about his health.
He has avoided large campaign rallies, favouring brief, tightly controlled appearances. His spokesperson explained away a recent, unexplained MRI as “pre-emptive research” by his doctors. According to The New York Times, Trump now works perhaps six hours a day—an assessment that angered him. His staff claims he routinely works 12-hour days. “We report, you decide”.
THE COST OF SYPHOCANCY
Presidents receive deference—too much, often. Trump’s inner circle reflexively thanks him for even the most irrational statements. Wealthy friends reinforce this feedback loop. Why does it matter? Because he is a 79-year-old man who has spent a lifetime gilding his surroundings and manipulating systems for personal gain.
He now pardons allies, threatens enemies, and remakes the Oval Office to his taste. His White House website features a “name and shame” section attacking unfriendly media outlets. Fox News continues serving as his unofficial state broadcaster.
A more revealing tool would be a spreadsheet tracking how much money has flowed into Trump family accounts from recent public and private ventures. Trump insists that “what’s good for Trump is good for America”.
Recent elections suggest otherwise.
—The writer has worked in senior positions at The Washington Post, NBC, ABC and CNN and also consults for several Indian channels
The post The Double-Tap Presidency: Expanding Shadow Over Law, War, and Democracy appeared first on India Legal.