Imagine a man with an insatiable appetite for real estate. He has devised an ingenious way to acquire it. In each building he visits, he pulls the fire alarm. There is no fire, but when the occupants evacuate, he takes control of the building and claims ownership.

If the actual owners object, his high-priced lawyers argue that possession is nine-tenths of the law. He threatens to use violence to defend his occupancy. In case after case, the legitimate owners concede. With this tactic, the man builds and rules an empire.

This analogy illustrates President Trump's strategy for amassing unprecedented powers over federal and state governments, cherished cultural institutions, law firms, universities and other parts of American society. He repeatedly declares crises where there are none, to give himself the extraordinary authorities that Congress, the courts and the Constitution allow a president to exercise during crises. He is using the tactic to continue his Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection by other means.

Now, social media sites are filled with rumors that Trump will utilize a "nuclear option" on Apr. 20 by invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807, a law the Brennan Center for Justice notes is "dangerously vague." The act would allow Trump to use the military to suppress "rebellion," curtail free speech and assembly, and enforce his orders.

Why April 20? In January, Trump directed the Homeland Security and Defense secretaries to study the situation on America's border and recommend whether he should invoke the act. April 20 is the due date.

The rumor has not triggered significant alarm because conspiracy theories are rife online. However, Trump has alluded several times that he might deploy the military inside the country. He has suggested using active and National Guard troops to fight urban crime, "the enemy from within," and "radical left lunatics." His former Defense secretary, Mark Esper, has warned that we should take Trump seriously.

In addition, Trump has nearly normalized the use of executive orders by "flooding the zone"with them. Many are being reviewed by the courts. They include a variation we can call the "executive extortion order," where he cuts off federal funds, rescinds contracts and security clearances, sanctions clients of some of America's most prestigious law firms, and even forbids them access to........

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