The United States, rather than maintaining its status as a republic, has been backsliding toward a monarchy, according to a 2020 report by then-Cato Institute Constitutional researcher Trevor Burrus. The continuing trend of broad expansions of presidential powers, Burrus notes, is eroding the powers of the legislative branch. Two examples are the Obama Administration’s 2016 “Dear Colleague” letter that had the effect of changing the definition of gender for choosing what bathroom one wished, and President Donald Trump’s 2018 imposition of steel tariffs in the name of national security, a decision that was upheld in court.
