People knew the courts could do nothing.

... his blanket pardon wasn't necessary, it was purely proforma. His motto is, "What? Me worry?"

Why do these guys think they can soften their landings? Then again, why isn't TFG in more trouble with that most of this nation that has no use for him? I think it has to with our need to have the process work its way through. At least the courts are being pretty consistent that he doesn't have the protections from prosecutions he thought he had. Maybe that's why he didn't see a need to pardon himself, or have the Congress he needed to pull a Lukashenko. He thought the courts would save him. Lukashenko knew better. He'll have to hold power till he dies if he can't pass the reins to someone as strong as he. TFG was/is too stupid to have started grooming a successor.

controlling law enforcement and the military. He will dispose his opposition, and Putin will control him and Belarus.

He was not legally elected, Putin came in and forced his appointment, I'm pretty sure Orban in Hungary and other RW governments will try and follow suit.

It was a plane that was going from Athens to Vilnius in Lithuania in 2021. They did it due to "security reasons" due to and alleged Hamas bomb threat. It wasn't that at all. Instead, they arrest two passengers, both were opposition to the regime. But what do you expect from an authoritarian regime?