Fact check: What specific executive actions has Trump taken that critics consider authoritarian?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, critics have identified numerous specific executive actions by Trump that they consider authoritarian:

Targeting of Educational Institutions and Protesters:

• Deportation and detention of student protesters and foreign scholars ^[1]
• Executive actions specifically targeting colleges and universities ^[1]
• Withholding funds from universities ^[2]

Attacks on Democratic Institutions:

• Stripping power from independent regulatory agencies ^[1]
• Investigating major broadcast outlets ^[2]
• Undermining the rule of law ^[3]
• Attempts to politicize the Justice Department ^[4]

Use of Military and Federal Forces:

• Military takeover of Washington, D.C. and deployment of troops to other cities ^[5]
• Sending the National Guard to Los Angeles without the governor's approval ^[6]

Targeting Political Enemies:

• Using government powers to target over 100 perceived enemies, including former government officials, universities, law firms, and news organizations in what's described as a "sweeping campaign of retribution" ^[7]
• Using ICE arrests, criminal investigations, and firings to target enemies ^[4]
• Attempts to undermine the 2020 election ^[4]

Attacks on Civil Liberties:

• Attacks on freedom of expression ^[3]
• Targeting immigrants ^[3]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal several important contextual elements missing from the original question:

Academic and International Perspectives:

Hundreds of scholars have concluded that the U.S. is "swiftly heading toward authoritarianism" under Trump's leadership ^[2], while Amnesty International has documented what they describe as a "human rights crisis" fueled by Trump's administration ^[3].

Bipartisan Concerns:

Even Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski has raised concerns about Trump's authoritarian tendencies, specifically regarding his deployment of federal forces without state approval ^[6].

Trump's Own Statements:

The analyses reveal that Trump himself has made comments about being a dictator and has praised autocratic rulers, showing disregard for Congress and the federal judiciary ^[5].

Scope of Actions:

The question focuses on "executive actions," but the analyses show Trump's authoritarian behavior extends beyond formal executive orders to include broader abuses of presidential power and attempts to weaponize government agencies.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral and factual in its framing, asking specifically about executive actions that "critics consider authoritarian." However, there are some limitations:

Narrow Scope:

By focusing only on "executive actions," the question may inadvertently minimize the broader pattern of authoritarian behavior documented in the analyses, which includes informal uses of presidential power, public statements, and attempts to undermine democratic institutions that go beyond formal executive orders.

Temporal Context Missing:

The question doesn't specify which Trump presidency period it's referring to, though the analyses cover actions from both his first term and more recent activities.

Understated Severity:

The phrase "critics consider authoritarian" might understate the gravity of the situation, given that the analyses show these concerns come from diverse sources including international human rights organizations ^[3], hundreds of scholars ^[2], and even members of Trump's own party ^[6].

The question itself doesn't contain obvious misinformation, but its framing may not fully capture the breadth and severity of the authoritarian actions documented across multiple credible sources.