Here’s why Trump’s rivals 'caving in so quickly' may create a 'dilemma' for him: analysis

With still more than a month to go before he officially takes office, President-elect Donald Trump is already seeing the rapid capitulation and collapse of would-be oppositional forces. One journalist has a theory that this may end up frustrating the incoming president even more.

In a Thursday article for the New Yorker, journalist Susan Glasser (the spouse of New York Times journalist Peter Baker) delved into how both domestic and foreign opponents of Trump have already decided to "fold" during the transition period. She wrote that FBI Director Christopher Wray's announcement earlier this week that he would be resigning from his post ahead of Trump's inauguration was an act of "self-defenestration" that could prove to be a harbinger of things to come.

Glasser also pointed to Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) — who herself is a military veteran and sexual assault survivor — saying she would likely vote for Defense Secretary-designate Pete Heseth's confirmation despite a sexual assault allegation against him and former coworkers telling NBC News he often showed up to work hung over.

READ MORE: 'Obeying in advance': Wray accused of 'making things easy for Trump' by abruptly resigning

Outside of the U.S., Glasser reminded readers that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) — which Trump has threatened to pull the U.S. out of if member nations don't increase their contributions to the alliance — is also indicating plans to bow down to Trump's will. His advisors had toyed with the idea of changing the statutory 2% contribution of member nations' GDP to 3%. Now, NATO is considering making 3% the new target. Former Trump Defense Department official Eldridge Colby is reportedly already claiming credit for the potential change.

But Glasser argued that the rapid toppling of Trump's opposition — should it continue — may paradoxically end up being what undoes Trump. She opined that even though the president-elect loves being "fawned over," a lack of opponents "creates its own sort of dilemma for a leader who craves conflict to sustain his Presidency and his political movement."

"Trump thrives on such fights, seeks them out, and where they do not exist, he will move swiftly to create them. Conflict is integral to who he is, as a person and as a politician," she wrote. "There is also a widespread view that Trump is more bluster than bite. Eight years on, even many of the President-elect’s fiercest foes now recognize that he presents them with a unique blend of incendiary hyperbole and actual menace."

However, the journalist lamented that she "can’t help but worry that this post-election transition to Trump’s second term is merely another moment when hope seems to be triumphing over experience." She pointed to "backers of Ukraine looking for evidence, however scant, that Trump won’t abandon them to a deal with Russia on Vladimir Putin’s terms," as well as those opposing his mass deportation agenda hoping that it would "simply be too costly and complicated for Trump to execute." And she predicted that Trump would "always find new enemies to slay."

READ MORE: 'Acted like the rules didn't apply': Hegseth's coworkers say he often showed up drunk on set

Click here to read Glasser's article for the New Yorker in its entirety (subscription required).