Bulwark Takes Trump’s War on Republican “Traitors”
Feb 24, 2026
A deep dive into how a president lashes out at those who refuse total loyalty. Coverage includes Supreme Court pushback on tariff power and attacks on justices he appointed. Discussion of pressure on the Federal Reserve and its chair. Stories of Republican officials, governors, and state legislators targeted for independent decisions.
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Trump Frames Judicial Independence As Betrayal
- Donald Trump treats dissent from his policy goals as disloyalty to America, framing judicial independence as betrayal.
- After the Supreme Court struck down his tariffs, he called two of his own appointees "very unpatriotic and disloyal to our Constitution."
Expecting Appointees To Be Loyalty Machines
- Trump expects appointees like Jerome Powell to execute his political wishes rather than act independently.
- He publicly attacked Powell for keeping interest rates higher, calling him "incompetent" and accusing him of political motives.
Punishing Republicans Who Push Back
- Trump weaponizes investigations and public attacks to punish Republicans who resist him.
- He threatened Senator Tom Tillis's career after Tillis criticized a subpoena of the Fed chairman, saying Tillis "isn't going to be a senator any longer."