The headlines about White House chaos can lead even close followers of the Trump presidency to the conclusion he is having real difficulty running the Government.

Indeed, Donald Trump has failed in his major legislative objectives in Congress — most notably, the spectacular defeat of efforts to repeal Obamacare after seven years and four election campaigns of unstinting opposition to those health reforms. But where Mr Trump has control by virtue of running the executive branch, he can wield the knife with blunt force — and he is slashing away with abandon.

Mr Trump's default position is to run the Government by destroying what it does.

Trump's legacy so far

In his Cabinet, Mr Trump has appointed unvarnished conservatives to implement a hard-right ideological agenda in their key areas.

The head of the EPA is rolling back carbon pollution rules.

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The Secretary of Health and Human Services is taking care to faithfully undercut Obamacare where he can by regulation and defunding.

Big tobacco is having more wins at the Food and Drug Administration.

Homeland Security is ramping up deportations.

The Attorney-General is clamping down on leaks in the media.

Mr Trump's Education Secretary believes public schools are at a "dead end".Mr Trump's nominee to the Export-Import bank led the fight in Congress to abolish it.

The head of the Federal Communications Commission is determined to repeal open internet rules adopted under Barack Obama.

Mr Trump has said he will ban transgender Americans who want to serve their country in the armed forces.

Affirmative action rules that encourage minority enrolments at universities will be rolled back.

Conservatives having a field day

Elections have consequences, and Mr Trump is exploiting his legitimate power to redeem the promises, and those held by his Republican allies in Congress, made in last year's election campaign.

With their control of Congress, the conservatives and their industry allies are having a field day.

Doctors and insurers are gaining legislation to curb medical malpractice awards.

The gun lobby never misses its target; the latest is easing restrictions on those with mental illness from buying guns.

Planned Parenthood is at imminent risk of losing all government funding for its birth control and health services, including abortions.

The American system is one of checks and balances between the equal branches of the Government.

The President heads the Executive but the Congress funds it. Laws passed by Congress, and actions taken by the President, are reviewable by the courts.

Sorry, this video has expired John Barron talks about recent White House leaks

But in the day-to-day slog of governing, when the leadership of the White House, Congress and the Senate agree on a matter, there are very few checks on the power the President can wield in support of his agenda.

And so, there are no hostile oversight hearings by the congressional committees on these day-to-day decisions made by the secretaries and their agencies to roll back what was done under Barack Obama and to advance conservative initiatives.

Where his appointees have power over their policy areas, and where what they are doing is not forbidden by law, the field is clear for the Trump agenda to be prosecuted in full force across the land.

Overthrow of US system

With each passing year, Washington looks less like a traditional American democracy and more like a Westminster system: virtually unwavering party-line voting and, when the White House and Congress are won by the opposition party, a wholesale overthrow of the policies of the previous administration.

Mr Trump is the least successful president in modern American history at this point in his term, as far as enacting his declared agenda, including health, tax, infrastructure.

He has no major bills that have been signed into law.

He demonstrates daily his utter incapacity for successfully working with Congress and managing a legislative agenda.

But beneath the surface, he and his appointees are governing with abandon, and the Congress, under his party's control, provides no platform for challenge or accountability.

This is why the Russia grand jury and the daily atrocities that constitute maladministration of the White House, the leaks and Mr Trump's Twitter rages are not the whole ball game.

This is how Mr Trump is actually getting stuff done.

This is why Mr Trump's base is so happy — and confident about the future of one nation under Mr Trump.

Bruce Wolpe worked with the Democrats in Congress in President Obama's first term. He is chief of staff to former prime minister Julia Gillard.