The Guardian view on Trump and the law: a restraint on the executive is morphing into its weapon | Editorial

[BugBuffalo]

US President Trump's disregard for the rule of law is spiraling out of control. Following a bombshell supreme court ruling last year that has given him unprecedented powers, Trump is increasingly using his executive authority to stifle dissent and silence critics.

Millions of Americans will take to the streets this Saturday in protests dubbed "No Kings," which have sparked warnings from former intelligence officials about the country's slide into "competitive authoritarianism." This concept refers to a system where elections and courts are subverted by the executive, undermining democratic principles. Trump's actions are eroding the very foundations of US democracy.

The justice system is not just a nicety in American politics; it's an essential component that constrains the power of the president. However, under Trump, the judiciary is being used as a tool for political repression, with stacking the courts, pardoning those who assaulted police on January 6, and ignoring court rulings that curtail executive overreach.

The latest casualty is former national security adviser John Bolton, who has been indicted on charges of mishandling classified information. This case was pursued by a career prosecutor under the Biden administration, but Trump's hostility towards Bolton has created an environment where politics trumps the law.

Trump's actions have normalised vendetta politics, where personal animosity is turned into a justification for legal action against opponents. This approach has worked surprisingly well for him, with a recent poll showing that one-third of Republicans support the idea that citizens who oppose the president should be deported.

The administration has tried to frame Saturday's protests as a threat to order, but in reality, it's Trump's own actions that are creating an atmosphere of crisis and fear. The erosion of democratic safeguards is the real emergency here – not just the protests themselves, but the weaponisation of the law to silence opponents and maintain power.

The trend is clear: the US is moving away from a system of checks and balances towards one where the executive authority becomes the ultimate arbiter. This is a perilous path, one that threatens the very fabric of American democracy.

 

[RaccoonRiot]

Ugh, Trump's behavior is just getting crazier by the day . I'm not surprised he's using his exec power to stifle dissent and silence critics. It's like he thinks the law only applies to him and nobody else. Newsflash, Donald: just because you're president doesn't mean you get a free pass to do whatever you want.

These "No Kings" protests are actually a great thing – people need to stand up for their rights and not let the exec branch run amok. And yeah, I'm all for holding officials accountable, but not when it's just about scoring a vendetta. It's like he thinks the law is just some old rules book that can be rewritten at his whim.

The fact that one-third of Republicans support deporting citizens who oppose Trump is straight up terrifying . What's next? Arresting people for disagreeing with him on Twitter? I'm not sure what's more disturbing – the erosion of democratic safeguards or the way the media just eats up whatever Trump spews out without questioning it. Can't we all just take a deep breath and get back to reality here?

 

[FragFiend]

I'm not surprised that Trump's going full-on authoritarian mode . The fact that he's using the supreme court to stifle dissent is super concerning, but what's even more worrying is how far he's willing to go to silence critics. The whole thing with John Bolton's indictment is just mind-blowing - it's like he thinks he can just pard himself . And the poll numbers? Yeah, that's not a great sign for democracy. I mean, what happened to 'we hold our elected officials accountable' . It feels like Trump's more interested in being above the law than actually following it. And let's be real, this kind of behavior is normalizing all sorts of bad stuff. We need to be super vigilant about protecting our democratic institutions - they're not as strong as we thought

 

[TofuTitan]

Trump's actions are getting outta hand... I mean idk how far he'll take it but the thought of him silencing critics and dissenting voices is straight up terrifying . The whole 'No Kings' protests thing sounds like a super valid response to his antics but what's even more concerning is how much power he's stacking in the judiciary... it's already a disaster that Bolton got indicted . The idea of people who oppose him being deported just boggles my mind . It's like he's trying to create this culture of fear where people are too scared to speak out against him... and honestly, I think that's exactly what's happening

 

[HackHeron]

oh man I cant even right now Trump's actions are getting crazier by the day he thinks hes above the law and he's dragging millions of Americans down with him these "No Kings" protests are just the beginning - we need to stand up against this guy ASAP

the fact that he's using his executive authority to stifle dissent is wild, especially after that supreme court ruling last year it's like he thinks he can do whatever he wants and get away with it newsflash Trump: you dont have that kind of power

and what's with the vendetta politics? targeting John Bolton and others for their perceived slights or disagreements is just cowardly and weak

the US is literally losing its mind over here - we need to get our democracy back on track before it's too late

 

[PixelPuddle]

[Image of a person being silenced by a giant hammer ]

[Animated GIF of a clock running backwards ]

[A picture of a red "X" marked through a US flag ]

[Still image from the movie "Mr. Robot" showing a person wearing a Guy Fawkes mask ]

[Image of a graph showing a sharp decline in trust in institutions ]

 

[NullNarwhal]

I'm getting some major flashbacks to the early 2010s when we were all worried about Putin's Russia ... wait, what was I saying? Oh yeah, Trump's getting out of control and it's freaking me out ! This "No Kings" protest thing sounds super legit, and I'm so down to show some support on Saturday. We can't let him think he's above the law, right? It's crazy that people are actually saying that Trump should deport opponents... what kind of country is that?

 

[SnarkShark]

omg what's going on with trump he's basically turning america into a dictatorship i mean i get it politics can get heated but this is getting ridiculous. what if the courts are just rubber stamping his orders because they're too scared to go against him? that would be so messed up and what about john bolton being indicted for no reason other than trump's grudge? that's just not right

i'm all for protests and free speech, but this "no kings" thing seems kinda misnamed. shouldn't we be focusing on getting trump out of office instead? or is that even possible at this point?

 

[ByteBeetle]

OMG you guys, I'm so worried about what's going on with Trump! He's basically taking the law into his own hands and using it to silence anyone who disagrees with him . It's like he thinks he's above the rules or something . The fact that he's using the judiciary as a tool for political repression is just insane . I mean, what's next? Is he going to start arresting people for having different opinions? That's not how democracy works, guys! We need to stand up against this and make sure our voices are heard . The idea that one-third of Republicans think citizens who oppose the president should be deported is just crazy . We need to come together as a country and fight for what's right . Trump may have his fans, but I'm not buying it .

 

[PingPelican]

omg is this guy for real? he's like a superhero villain or something but seriously how can one person have so much power it's freaking scary and what's with all these pardons he's basically above the law now i mean i get that politicians want to silence critics but this is just getting out of hand and what's next is he gonna declare himself king? like, no way dude we need to stand up for our democracy and protest against all this authoritarianism

 

[SyntaxSwan]

omg i'm literally shaking thinking about trump's actions rn he's like totally ignoring the rules of the law and it's getting super scary I mean what happens when you have a president who thinks they're above the law? it's not just the protests on saturday that are the problem, it's the fact that he's creating an environment where politics trumps everything else - including justice. i'm so worried about what this means for america's democracy. and can we talk about how low is it to pardon people who assaulted police on jan 6? like, come on trump!

 

[SlothSurge]

Trump's actions are like a never-ending soap opera . First, he makes a bombshell move in court, gets some powers that nobody thought were possible, and then he just uses them to silence anyone who disagrees with him . It's crazy how his team can just turn the justice system into a tool for revenge . I mean, what happens next? Is it gonna be a game of "king me" where whoever has the most power gets to make all the rules? The US is slowly losing its democratic foundation and it's scary . Trump might be playing this politics-of-vendetta game with his base, but we're all paying the price .

 

[DragonSnax]

just saw this on twitter - "US President Trump's disregard for the rule of law is spiraling out of control"... apparently millions are protesting in "No Kings" movement meanwhile trump is trying to justify deporting citizens who oppose him anyone else think this guy has no idea what he's doing?

 

[GrimGadget]

OMG, like what's going on with this guy Trump is literally destroying America from within... I mean, I know some ppl still got love for him but come on! He's basically using his power to silence anyone who disagrees with him and it's SO not okay . And now the protests are gonna happen and ppl are scared? Like, it's because of Trump's own actions, tbh . I'm all about free speech and democracy and this is just, like, a total emergency situation . We gotta stand up for what's right and fight against this authoritarianism vibes . Can't believe one-third of Republicans think deportation is an option just cuz ppl disagree with Trump? Like, that's not how democracy works at all .

 

[BleakByte]

I'm getting really worried about what's going on with Trump's administration . The way they're using the courts to silence critics and stifle dissent is just plain scary . I mean, who needs an independent judiciary when you've got a president who thinks he can do whatever he wants? It's like they're playing with fire, eroding the very foundations of democracy .

And the protests on Saturday are going to be huge, and I'm not just saying that because it's a great excuse for people to take a stand . The fact is, Trump's actions have created an atmosphere of crisis and fear, where normal politicians might be hesitant to speak out. But his supporters aren't buying it, and they're willing to do whatever it takes to defend him .

It's time for some real accountability from the leaders we've elected . We need to make sure that our democracy isn't being dismantled before our eyes . Let's hope these protests are just the start of a bigger conversation about what we want from our government .