Stephen Miller’s Theory of Power

Their iron law of force

“[W]e live in a world, in the real world … that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power. These are the iron laws of the world that have existed since the beginning of time.” — Stephen Miller

He’s a Nazi. Prove me wrong, the late Charlie Kirk might say.

Marcy Wheeler put up a long post on Friday that you really ought to read on Stephen Miller’s theory of power. And about steps taken by AG Pam Bondi, Harmeet Dhillon, and Kash Patel in attempting “their own version of subjugation” in Minnesota. In the process of kidnapping people from their homes, abusing the citizens of the Twin Cities, and repeatedly violating half a dozen constitutional amendments, the Department of Justice has had to drop cases against drug traffickers for lack of prosecutors to manage the caseload. Nearly everyone with a conscience and commitment to the rule of law rather than the rule of Trump has left the department.

In making false statement after false statement about cases they’ve charged, and in violating court order after court order, Trump’s DOJ has gutted its own credibility and the government’s presumption of regularity with the courts.

Wheeler writes that Chief Judge Patrick Schiltz listed 96 orders ICE had blown off, and demanded that ICE start following the law:

This list should give pause to anyone—no matter his or her political beliefs—who cares about the rule of law.  ICE has likely violated more court orders in January 2026 than some federal agencies have violated in their entire existence.  The Court warns ICE that future noncompliance with court orders may result in future show‐cause orders requiring the personal appearances of Lyons or other government officials.  ICE is not a law unto itself.  ICE has every right to challenge the orders of this Court, but, like any litigant, ICE must follow those orders unless and until they are overturned or vacated.

Except becoming a law unto itself is the entire Trump administration’s raison d’etre. It is no accident that Miller’s beliefs echo Hitler’s. Back in Cold War days, right wingers might have called them fellow travelers.

Marcy brings receipts, as she does, as well as this summary:

Homeland Security Czar Stephen Miller’s attempt to impose his power in Minnesota, the same guy murderboating fishermen who might be carrying cocaine in the Caribbean in the name of halting fentanyl trafficking — has led to the collapse of drug trafficking cases because his attempt to subdue Minnesota by force has instead destroyed the Federal tools to impose order by law.

And now the one case Pam Bondi has prioritized over those drug trafficking cases, the Don Lemon case, threatens to become an indictment of Harmeet Dhillon’s misconduct in pursuing the indictment, her platforming of racist AI slop and gambling discussions before, then potentially misleading a grand jury so as to get her trophy in the form of one of Donald Trump’s Black adversaries.

None of this is good. None of it mitigates the damage Stephen Miller willfully did to Minnesota.

Minnesota lost and  Stephen Miller lost. Everybody loses under Miller’s barbaric theory of power.

It’s our job to outwit, outplay, and outlast the barbarians inside the gate. Minnesota showed the way.