Authoritarianism is like a weed. At first it grows almost unnoticed, slowly establishing itself, shifting the earth bit by bit, until there it is, grabbing hold of the crops and throttling them.

Donald Trump’s latest performance should be viewed through that lens.

The tweeter in chief had a busy day yesterday. He trashed longtime ally Denmark, calling its prime minister “nasty” for refusing to discuss selling Greenland to the US.

He unveiled new rules, allowing the US government to detain migrant families indefinitely while their asylum cases are judged, while somehow managing to get away with blaming his predecessor Barack Obama for his own policy of separating families at the border.

He said he was loved by survivors of mass shootings, hinted at defying the US constitution by standing for a third term, took fresh potshots at the media, suggested he be awarded the Medal of Honour despite dodging the draft.

Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings Show all 31 1 /31 Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton Demonstrators chant as they protest the arrival of President Donald Trump outside Miami Valley Hospital after a mass shooting that occurred in the Oregon District AP Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso Trump headed to El Paso, after visiting Dayton, Ohio to offer a message of healing and unity, but he was met by hostility in both places by people who fault his own incendiary words as a contributing cause to the mass shootings AP Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso, University Medical Centre US President Donald Trump greets first responders as he visits El Paso Regional Communications Centre AFP/Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso, University Medical Centre An anti-Trump protestor holds a sign as police are lined up outside University Medical Centre Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso Demonstrators hold a sign as the motorcade carrying President Donald Trump departs a joint operations center after meeting with first responders after the El Paso mass shooting, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci AP Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso Anti-Trump protesters hold a banner outside the makeshift memorial to the victims of the WalMart shooting that left a total of 22 people dead, in El Paso, Texas, on August 7, 2019. - President Donald Trump consoled victims of a mass shooting in Ohio on Wednesday but protesters and opponents denounced what they say is his extremist rhetoric on race and immigration. The president's trip to Dayton, where nine people were gunned down over the weekend, was to be followed immediately after by a stop in the border city of El Paso, Texas, where 22 were murdered. (Photo by Mark RALSTON / AFP)MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images MARK RALSTON AFP/Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton Demonstrators gather to protest the arrival of President Donald Trump outside Miami Valley Hospital after a mass shooting that occurred in the Oregon District early Sunday morning, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in Dayton. Twenty-four-year-old Connor Betts opened fire in Dayton early Sunday, killing several people including his sister, before officers fatally shot him. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) John Minchillo AP Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso Democratic presidential candidate Beto ORourke hugs a woman at a makeshift memorial outside Walmart honoring victims of the mass shooting there which left 22 people dead. Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso Anti-Trump protesters hold signs outside the makeshift memorial to the victims of the WalMart shooting that left a total of 22 people dead, in El Paso, Texas, on August 7, 2019. - President Donald Trump consoled victims of a mass shooting in Ohio on Wednesday but protesters and opponents denounced what they say is his extremist rhetoric on race and immigration. The president's trip to Dayton, where nine people were gunned down over the weekend, was to be followed immediately after by a stop in the border city of El Paso, Texas, where 22 were murdered. (Photo by Mark RALSTON / AFP)MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images MARK RALSTON AFP/Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso Marisela Hernandez holds sign to protest the visit of President Donald Trump to the border city after the Aug. 3 mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019. Aiming to play the traditional role of healer during national tragedy, President Donald Trump paid visits Wednesday to cities reeling from the mass shootings. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton) Andres Leighton AP Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso, University Medical Centre An anti-Trump demonstrator holds up a placard outside the University Medical Center, where U.S. President Donald Trump holds a meeting with first responders in the wake of last weekend's mass shootings at a Walmart store, in El Paso, Texas, U.S., August 7, 2019. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez JOSE LUIS GONZALEZ Reuters Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso, University Medical Centre President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet PFC Glendon Oakley (second right), who saved several lives during the mass shooting in Texas AFP/Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton Demonstrators chant as they protest the arrival of President Donald Trump outside Miami Valley Hospital after a mass shooting that occurred in the Oregon District early Sunday morning, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in Dayton. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) John Minchillo AP Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso, University Medical Centre An anti-Trump demonstrator holds up a placard as police block the area outside the University Medical Center, where U.S. President Donald Trump holds a meeting with first responders in the wake of last weekend's mass shootings at a Walmart store, in El Paso, Texas, U.S., August 7, 2019. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez JOSE LUIS GONZALEZ Reuters/Amanda Voisard Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso Beto ORourke consoles a man at the makeshift memorial outside Walmart Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso, University Medical Centre An anti-Trump demonstrator yells near police outside the University Medical Centre Reuters Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso TOPSHOT - El Paso residents protest against the visit of US President Donald Trump to the city after the Walmart shooting that left a total of 22 people dead, in El Paso, Texas, on August 7, 2019. - President Donald Trump consoled victims of a mass shooting in Ohio on Wednesday but protesters and opponents denounced what they say is his extremist rhetoric on race and immigration. The president's trip to Dayton, where nine people were gunned down over the weekend, was to be followed immediately after by a stop in the border city of El Paso, Texas, where 22 were murdered. (Photo by Mark RALSTON / AFP)MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images MARK RALSTON AFP/Getty Images Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings Dayton President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base AP Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso Makeshift memorial for victims of the shooting that left a total of 22 people dead at the Cielo Vista Mall Walmart AFP/Getty Images Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton Demonstrators gather to protest the arrival of President Donald Trump outside Miami Valley Hospital after a mass shooting that occurred in the Oregon District early Sunday morning, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in Dayton. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) John Minchillo AP Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings President Trump greets Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley as he arrives at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base AFP/Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton Demonstrators gather to protest the arrival of President Donald Trump outside Miami Valley Hospital after a mass shooting that occurred in the Oregon District early Sunday morning, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in Dayton, Ohio. Twenty-four-year-old Connor Betts opened fire in Dayton early Sunday, killing several people including his sister, before officers fatally shot him. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) John Minchillo AP Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings Dayton Damon Smith presents a message to President Donald Trump beside a makeshift memorial in Dayton AP Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton Demonstrators gather in front of an inflatable "Baby Trump" to protest the presidents arrival AP Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton Demonstrators gather to protest the arrival of President Donald Trump outside Miami Valley Hospital after a mass shooting that occurred in the Oregon District early Sunday morning, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019, in Dayton. President Donald Trump is headed to Dayton and El Paso, Texas on Wednesday to offer a message of healing and unity, but he will be met by unusual hostility in both places by people who fault his own incendiary words as a contributing cause to the mass shootings . (AP Photo/John Minchillo) John Minchillo AP Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso A photo of victim Javier Amir Rodriguez, a 15-year-old sophomore Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings Dayton Demonstrators protest the visit of US President Donald Trump to the site of the mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio, on August 7, 2019. - Nine people were killed on August 4 in the city's popular Oregon District. (Photo by Megan JELINGER / AFP)MEGAN JELINGER/AFP/Getty Images MEGAN JELINGER AFP/Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso A message is left for Donald Trump AFP/Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso Signs and flags adorn the makeshift memorial for victims of the shooting that left a total of 22 people dead at the Cielo Vista Mall Walmart, in El Paso, Texas, on August 7, 2019. (Photo by Mark RALSTON / AFP)MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images MARK RALSTON AFP/Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso People hug at the makeshift memorial AFP/Getty Trump protests: President visits Texas and Ohio after mass shootings El Paso People pray at the makeshift memorial AFP/Getty

It was an extraordinary day even by his standards. But we’ve had an awful lot of those extraordinary days, haven’t we. And through their very ubiquity, they’re becoming a lot less extraordinary than when he began his rise to political prominence.

Each time the president has a hissy fit, each time he puts in a performance like yesterday’s, there are less and less people who say, he said that? He actually said that?

The Conservative media machine swings into gear, simultaneously justifying and diverting attention away from the outrage, and everyone just shrugs and wonders who’s going to win on Jeopardy!.

In the process the goal line moves a little bit, until the unthinkable is suddenly a part of mainstream debate and, well, why can’t we contemplate a third Trump term? Franklin D Roosevelt got four, after all. And aren’t we in the middle of a crisis like then? Except this time we have an army of “dirty migrants” threatening our borders, bringing in drugs and crime and disease, in a way that Germany and Japan never did.

Unconstitutional? Except on the subject of the second amendment, the US constitution is a lot more malleable than you’d think especially if you populate the Supreme Court with judges who can be relied upon to back you up. Just ask George W Bush, with his wars and his Gitmo, his extraordinary rendition and his enhanced interrogation methods.

They came in reaction to an extraordinary event: 9/11. And even Bush would have baulked at a putting in a performance like Trump’s (he’s no fan).

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But what Bush did does rather show what you can do if you have the will and the means to justify it. If there isn’t a real threat available, something can easily be manufactured, which takes us back to the fuss about the Southern border and the threat those seeking to pass through it allegedly pose, even though the biggest danger to the average American is a white guy with a grudge and easy access to military grade weaponry.

The most interesting reaction to one of the various things Trump said yesterday came courtesy not of one Fox News’s prime time attack dogs, but from Greg Gutfeld, who serves as the network’s satirist and occasionally pokes his nose out of its orthodoxy.

He delivered a monologue during which he said: “Whether it’s Greenland, (Ilhan) Omar, or Sleepy Joe (Biden) all you’re watching is a show. Those people are just comic sidekicks. Trump has turned his presidency into his dream job, a talkshow on wheels.

“Effectively this is not just a presidency, it’s the Truman Show redone as the Trump show… The danger is following the media’s lead in getting obsessed by this. To them it’s the Game of Trump and they’re binging on it, reacting to every new plot twist. And that’s just not healthy. Let’s sit back, enjoy the show, until of course someone loses an eye.”

So chill out, laugh a little. This stuff? It’s just entertainment and should be taken as such.