Donald Trump spoke to House Republicans at the Hyatt Regency in Washington, DC, on November 13, 2024. Yesterday, he was sentenced for 34 charges of business fraud and other crimes in New York related to paying a porn actress to keep quiet about their affair before the 2016 election. Despite these convictions, he faced no punishment.
It’s hard to imagine a clearer example of how someone privileged can avoid consequences. Trump has broken laws, made racist comments, failed as a leader, and shown ignorance, yet he remains untouchable.
Van Lathan Jr. once said Trump is “the whitest white man we’ve ever seen,” meaning he represents unchecked privilege. This recent sentencing confirms Trump is now officially a criminal president. But his history of crime is long: enriching himself as president, stealing government secrets, and trying to overturn an election.
With his third presidential campaign, Trump and his supporters — including billionaires and some Supreme Court justices — have worked to undermine the rule of law. They’ve been successful. Institutions, the media, the courts, and even the American people couldn’t hold him accountable. The idea that “no one is above the law” now feels outdated.
The January 6, 2021, Capitol riot has become accepted as normal. Trump and his allies have achieved what past divisive figures like Joseph McCarthy could only dream of: reshaping America to favor their version of order. For Trump, it’s a win no matter what.
Some people still deny this. They claim Trump will eventually act responsibly, as if becoming president makes him accountable. But that belief is naive. Trump has built a system where he’s above rules and norms. For example, Justice Samuel Alito didn’t deny reports that Trump called him to stop his sentencing in New York.
By the end of his next term, Trump and his wealthy allies will likely have broken even more laws. Controlling public data and spreading disinformation could become routine. Economist Paul Krugman warned Trump might manipulate facts, like inflation rates, turning the federal government into a source of lies.
Many don’t realize how much damage Trump could cause by controlling information and shaping what people believe is true. Former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, a critic of Trump, recently warned Americans to reject his lies. She highlighted his false claims about election fraud and the January 6 riot. But Trump dismissed her and others, calling them “dishonest thugs.”
Cheney reminded Trump of the violence on January 6 and how he refused to act for hours. She urged Americans to protect democracy, but Trump has already been rewriting history. His allies describe the riot as peaceful, and his pick for FBI head has threatened to investigate journalists who question him.
Meanwhile, the press struggles to hold Trump accountable. Some fear him, while others avoid criticism to please their bosses. Even some Democrats act as if Trump’s behavior is normal or attack vulnerable groups to appear tough.
True, this isn’t the Soviet Union, but Trump’s growing power resembles a totalitarian regime, where a leader controls everything with little accountability. Cheney called on Americans to stop Trump’s lies, but it’s unclear if they will. The real challenge might be protecting democracy not just from Trump, but from those who support him.
