An administrative coup refers to the illegal overthrow of a government achieved primarily without overt violence, relying instead on claiming powers, intimidation, bullying, extortion, and threats to media, thereby seizing all powers.
Recent actions exemplifying this include:
Elon Musk's seizure of personnel and payroll records, leading to government workers being locked out.
The illegal firing of government watchdogs in retaliation for their oversight of Musk.
The seizure of over $3 trillion in federal funding, referred to as the "federal freeze."
Unconstitutional attempts to end birthright citizenship.
Suing media outlets and companies to force compliance and extract money.
Overt intimidation of government workers, demanding their "loyalty."
The unprecedented pardoning of violent insurrectionists who aided in seizing power.
These actions collectively represent a deliberate effort to centralize control of the federal government, moving towards oligarchy and authoritarianism.
For a comprehensive analysis of these developments and their implications for democracy, visit Choose Democracy's detailed article on administrative coups.