It should come as no surprise that the Trump White House has refused to comply with congressional oversight requests for documents and interviews.  After all that is what despots do.

Donald Trump views loyalty as paramount.  You are either for him or against him.  Period.   To question his authority on matters big or small is viewed within the Trump White House as traitorous.  As Trump’s senior policy advisor, Stephen Miller once famously said in an interview on “Face the Nation:  “…our opponents, the media and the whole world will soon see as we as we begin to take further actions, that the powers of the president to protect our country are very substantial and will not be questioned.”  “…will not be questioned.”  Little did we know how prescient Miller’s comments would be.

Trump does not understand the concept of three co-equal branches of government. He views his self-described “historic election” as a mandate to govern with impunity.  Any effort by the legislative or judicial branch to rein in his worst impulses is viewed as an affront; not only to his electoral victory but his personal omnipotence.  His recent comments on the impending Mueller report a case in point. “I won a historic election.  And now a guy who never got a vote is writing a report!  What’s up with that?”

For all his “strongman” assertions, Trump displays his insecurities with great frequency.  He cannot let any slight go for fear of looking weak.

In recent days he has renewed his public disparagement of John McCain.  McCain, a frequent Trump critic, had the audacity to cast the deciding vote that torpedoed Trump’s effort to repeal and replace Obamacare.  Trump viewed McCain’s independence as disloyal and so McCain, even in death, was fair game for Trump’s ire.

In both words and deeds, Trump unabashedly displays all the characteristics of a authoritarian despot.  Democracy be damned.  In Trump world, there is but one authority.  To cross Trump is to do so at one’s peril.

That’s what despots do.