Donald Trump flexes expanded executive authority at Kentucky rally
As the midterm elections approach, Donald Trump is making headlines for flexing his expanded executive authority.
At a Kentucky rally, he talked up moves like renaming the Gulf of Mexico and pressuring big companies, things he says he avoided in his first term because, "I don't think I could have done this in my first term," and that this is "a much more powerful term."
Trump targets rivals, universities and media
Trump's style marks a shift from traditional presidential norms.
Historians point out that presidents have been gaining more power as Congress steps back.
Now, Trump's using that freedom to go after political rivals, investigate nine universities, including Harvard and Yale, over allegations that they were bringing in international students in order to undercut American wages, and challenge media critics.
As Republican strategist Ryan Williams, a Republican strategist who helped lead Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, put it, "Trump has made it very clear that he wants to approach his second term in a way where he gets what he wants."