Or to put a finer point on it: Suggesting that some President would abuse the powers of the office, using the government as a tool to harm others out of corrupt

Or to put a finer point on it: Suggesting that some President would abuse the powers of the office, using the government as a tool to harm others out of corrupt personal revenge. The prisoner's dilemma here is that each group that surrenders to the potential threat makes it more likely the bad situation will actually come to pass.