When he was running for president last year, Donald Trump and his allies promised to increase the power of the presidency over the rest of the federal government. He has moved aggressively to keep that promise, clashing with courts and steamrolling Congress as he works to stamp out pockets of independence.

But it’s not just that Trump wants more power over the federal government. He is also trying to give the federal government more power over society itself.

Since Monday, the Trump administration has moved to assert new power over institutions like colleges and banks. He has ordered a surge of law enforcement in Washington, D.C., a city that ostensibly has home rule. He has dialed up pressure on state lawmakers across the country to further shore up his power through redistricting — a goal he is also pursuing with his efforts to redo the census in pursuit of a count that would be more favorable to Republicans.

It’s presidential maximalism in action. It’s also an extension of his efforts to punish companies for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and to crack down on law firms and universities.

“What this shows is that, it’s sort of soaking in, it’s permeating more and more deeply into various aspects of society,” said Daniel Farber, a professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley, who was written about presidential power.

The approach, Farber said, is “very contrary to the traditional small government view of conservatives.” Instead, he said, it’s “one that really aims to change both the sort of political system and the culture.”