Trump, the Imperial Presidency, and How the Bush & Biden Administrations Got Us Here w/ James Bovard

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On this edition of Parallax Views, libertarian author and critic James Bovard joins J.G. Michael to unpack Donald Trump’s recent bombing of Iran through the lens of “presidential absolutism.” Bovard argues that what appears to be unprecedented aggression is actually the culmination of decades-long erosion of constitutional checks—originating with Bush’s post‑9/11 AUMF and expansive signing statements, continuing through Obama’s targeted drone strikes on U.S. citizens like Anwar al‑Awlaki, and through congressional acquiescence to war powers abuses. Some have called this the trend of the "Imperial Presidency".

Themes explored:

• From AUMF to Imperial Office – How the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force became a blank check for successive presidents, and the failure of Congress to pushback.

• Bush’s Legal Legacy – The “unitary executive theory,” sanctioning torture memos and sweeping interpretations of presidential privilege that laid groundwork for future overreach.

• The Obama Continuation of Executive Overreach – Drone killings and mass surveillance helped normalize executive power grabbing.

• Trump’s Presidential Absolutism – What the bombing of Iran illustrates about the Trump administration and Presidential power in 2025. We also discuss how 

• Domestic Spillover and the Crushing of Dissent on Foreign Policy Issues – The chilling effect on dissent, illuminated by the arrest of Turkish grad student Rümeysa Öztürk, showcases how war fever and narratives about foreign enemies, especially since the Global War on Terror, lead to the curtailing of freedoms at home.

This episode is a deep and timely discussion on how America’s constitutional safeguards were weakened by successive administrations, culminating in the boldest assertions of presidential power yet—making Trump’s actions appear in some ways more like continuation than rupture.

NOTE: Views of guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect all the views of J.G. Michael or the Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael program

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