The Opposition Lurking from Within: How Donald Trump Could Be Destabilized in His Own Term

While President Donald Trump appears to be firmly in control of the American executive branch in his second term, and his support from the Republican hard core remains high, the reality behind the scenes is more nuanced. The Trump 2.0 administration is facing a domestic opposition that is better organized, more sophisticated, and far more strategic than in the past.

This opposition is no longer just the noise of street protests or NGO criticism - it is a network of institutional and media power centers that, under certain conditions, could effectively block or even politically sabotage the presidential agenda.

• 1. Congress: The Legislative Battlefield

Depending on the composition of Congress after the 2026 midterm elections, institutional blockages could become the main tools for limiting presidential power:

- The Democratic opposition can refuse to pass budgets, block confirmations of key nominations or launch parliamentary investigations leading to administrative paralysis.

- More dangerous for Trump: a decline in support within his own party may cause moderate Republicans to turn against him. According to CNN and Reuters sources, below the 40% threshold in the polls, automatic support from GOP ("Grand Old Party" - a traditional nickname for the Republican Party) elected officials becomes uncertain.

In fact, a group of Republican senators have already broken with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (April 2) and joined the Democrats in adopting a symbolic measure, opposing the 25% customs duties imposed on imports from Canada, (AFP).

• 2. Resignations from within: the revolt of the administrative elite

The US federal administration is vast and structured. Mass resignations of career officials, federal prosecutors, judges or even members of the cabinet can trigger operational crises and major losses of trust among public opinion.

Examples from the first term - such as the resignations of James Mattis, John Bolton or Rex Tillerson - have demonstrated the destructive potential of these gestures. A new wave, in the context of a foreign or legal crisis, could delegitimize the narrative of force and control promoted by the White House.

• 3. The press: the offensive of documented investigations

The American mass media, from the major traditional actors (CNN, NYT, WP) to investigative platforms such as ProPublica or The Atlantic, continue to document possible abuses, conflicts of interest or opaque relationships with external circles of influence.

The publication of leaks from within the government - an extremely effective weapon in the first term - could accelerate the dissolution of internal cohesion, especially in the context of an investigation into the politicization of justice or possible connections with international oligarchs.

• 4. Republican fracture: what would make the party turn its back?

Republicans have defended Trump even in difficult conditions. But this support is not inexhaustible. There are several key scenarios in which the party could strategically abandon active support for the president:

- Popularity below 40% in long-term polls (≥2 months)

- Major economic crisis (e.g. technical recession, massive unemployment, stock market collapse)

- Legal investigations or federal criminal charges, which expose the party to image costs

- External pressures from major donors, corporations, and moderate conservative think tanks

The emergence of an alternative figure within the party - Nikki Haley, Glenn Youngkin, or even Ron DeSantis - could create an "honorable exit" for the GOP, which would save electoral positions without completely associating itself with a potential failure.

• The institutions of the American state, a mechanism of political self-defense

The Trump 2.0 administration is actively challenged from outside, but the real systemic danger comes from within the state. The American system has multiple institutional safety "fuses," and when combined with factors such as the economy, scandals, or declining popularity, domestic opposition can become politically lethal.

A slow erosion of legitimacy, accelerated by impeachments, resignations, and investigations, could transform Trump's second term from an exercise in unilateral power into a battle for political survival, with major implications for the domestic and foreign stability of the United States.