When Is A Dictatorship Not A Dictatorship?

 Most people recognize governance that isn't pluralistic. These types of governments can be identified under several political identities. Such as a coup, a junta, an autocracy, dictatorship, totalitarian, dystopian and ruling committee.

In all but the last example the power of the governance is controlled by a single person. So, back to the original question: When is a dictatorship not a dictatorship? 

When one calls single person rule the unitary executive. At first glance one probably wouldn't associate that term with authoritarian rule. Scratch the surface and you realize that the unitary executive is just a more polite way saying totalitarian rule.

Unitary Executive as pertaining to the U.S. rests on how much control the president has over the executive branch. 

All presidents have the right to dismiss the heads of the various departments like State or Commerce as they are political appointees confirmed by the Senate. One exception to that is the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. By law the president can't remove that individual. even though Donald Trump has, over the last several months threatened to sack Jerome Powell the current Fed. Chairman because they, Fed. Board of Governors haven't lowered inrestrates for institutional investors.

Since January Donald Trump has sought to expand those powers far beyond what is prescribed in the constitution.  

One power granted to Congress (And a very important one) is the power to tax and spend. Spending is where the power of the purse comes into play. All fiscal year budget proposals must originate in The House 

In the federal government of the United States, the power of the purse is vested in the Congress as laid down in the Constitution of the United States, Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 (the Appropriations Clause), and Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 (the Taxing and Spending Clause).

Donald Trump and Russell Vought   (Russell Vought is one of the architects of Project 2025)  Director of the Office of Management and Budget are attempting to rest that power from the Congress. If successful Donald Trump would become America's first autocratic ruler.