So far, Donald Trump has done a cracking job at modelling his cabinet like a true dictator. He’s surrounded himself with yes-men and blind loyalists who he knows won’t question him. Yet many still refuse to see his tyrannical inclinations, even when he openly admits it. During a meeting with Republican Senators on Wednesday, Trump spoke of his recent meeting with the President of China, Xi Jinping. He mentioned how disciplined his counterpart’s men were, noting that Jinping’s closest associates feared him. He then went on to say that’s what he wanted for his own cabinet, which drew laughs from the crowd. Trump: "I want my cabinet to behave like [Xi Jinping's staff]. I'm demanding that….I've never seen men so scared in their lives…JD doesn't behave like that. JD butts into conversations." pic.twitter.com/CKoxloczg4— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) November 5, 2025 Trump clearly holds a lot of admiration for Xi Jinping despite the high tariffs he has imposed on China. He even goes as far as to call him, “a friend of mine.” Although it seems the thing that interests Trump the most about Jinping is his complete control over his cabinet and to some extent the country as a whole. Donald Trump envies Xi Jinping’s control The scary thing is it’s likely Trump wasn’t even joking. He’s shown us time and time again that he prioritizes loyalty and respect from his cabinet over intelligence and practicality. He doesn’t like it when people question him or raise valid criticisms, look at how he treats reporters who are just doing their jobs. No doubt a room full of people too afraid to stand up to him would be a dream come true for Trump. Many are already seeing this as evidence that Trump wants to be a dictator rather than a genuine leader. “Republicans are already scared enough of him and afraid to express a divergent opinion.” Wrote one individual. “Is he openly demanding an autocratic regime?” asked another. Bit by bit it feels as though this is what Trump has been moving towards the whole time. It started out with his cabinet picks, where he chose people for their loyalty to him rather than their actual ability to do the job. Since then he’s pulled many dirty tricks in a bid for absolute power, whether it’s using non-partisan agencies to spread anti-democrat propaganda, or straight up shutting down the government. Trump is making one thing clear, it’s his way or the highway, is that how a democratically elected leader should be behaving? All that and we haven’t even gotten into his multiple violations of the constitution, from detaining people without due process to his alleged plan to run for a third term. It’s been clear from the start that Donald Trump is seeking a tyrannical regime, he’s just saying it out loud now.