FROM THE OUTSIDE | Is the United States at a crossroads?

Por

José Carreño Figueras

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Publicado: 15/6/2025 · 10:05 a.m. MX | Actualizado: 15/6/2025 · 10:05 a.m. MX

The United States may be facing one of the greatest tests in its history—and perhaps on the verge of a crisis that could redefine the nation.

In many ways, the trigger has been the crisis caused by President Donald Trump’s immigration—or rather anti-immigration—policy, which has brought to light a series of actions that critics of the administration describe as authoritarian and even illegal. These include the deployment of military forces and the effort to concentrate as much power as possible in the hands of the president, subordinating both the legislative and judicial branches to his authority.

In fact, the country and its system have never faced such deep and intense tensions—at least not since the Civil War of 1861–65.

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The political system is now under unprecedented scrutiny, calling into question the principles upheld for centuries as the foundation of American democracy.

The fierce debate touches on everything from the U.S. role in the world to the separation of powers, from the rule of law to political polarization and partisanship, from corruption in public office to the very idea of free speech.

The current crisis challenges the system of checks and balances Americans have long presented as the cornerstone of their political structure: a balance among the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches designed to prevent authoritarian overreach.

But throughout U.S. history, this has often turned into a tug-of-war—especially between the presidency and Congress—usually with the upper hand going to the Executive, which speaks with one voice, in contrast to a Congress filled with dissonant ones.

Today, Congress is controlled—albeit by narrow margins—by a Republican Party firmly under the sway of Trump and his loyalists.

In theory, Congress could pass laws to limit the president’s power. But in practice, that’s unlikely to happen as long as the president’s party holds a majority in both chambers and Trump remains a magnetic figure for the Republican base.

As political analyst Bill Schneider explains, “We now have a president who seems unwilling to accept any limits on his authority. A Supreme Court decision in 2024 granted him immunity from criminal prosecution for his ‘official acts’ as president. No limits, no checks. President Trump fiercely protects his prerogatives.”

Trump and some of his allies support the idea of absolute executive authority, aligning with the “decisive,” “business-like” style he has long promoted—an image that earned him popularity through a reality TV show.

But for his critics, this approach opens the door to authoritarianism. Many of the president’s opponents—even among traditional conservatives—accuse him of acting like “a king,” wielding his power to pursue his enemies through the courts, financially and politically.

José Carreño Figueras