I describe Trump’s tactics, dating back to his business days in the 1970s, of threatening outlets with lawsuits and getting settlements even though he has a weak case. I note the media tycoons who have pledged loyalty, from Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook to Jeff Bezos of the Washington Post. Trump is the equivalent of a Mafia boss who demands protection money. Do you pay up and you have to see the guy the next month, demanding more money, or do you finally say, “Enough is enough”? I explain how Trump is unprecedented, surpassing Richard Nixon in thuggishness, because “his play is to break the US system”.