Since returning to office—or more accurately, since assuming a leading role as the de facto head of the Republican Party after leaving the presidency—Donald Trump has continued to flout the rule of law both in principle and in practice. His efforts to delegitimize the 2020 election, culminating in the events of January 6, 2021, have remained a central part of his political platform. Trump has refused to accept the legitimacy of any democratic outcome that does not favor him, asserting repeatedly that he will only accept election results if he wins. This posture alone is a violation of democratic norms and a direct threat to the constitutional framework of peaceful transitions of power, and it undermines the rule of law by placing his personal authority above institutional processes.

Trump’s legal transgressions since leaving office have not ceased. He has been indicted in multiple jurisdictions for criminal conduct ranging from the mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago to his attempts to overturn Georgia’s election results by pressuring Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. These actions demonstrate a continued disregard for the law. His public threats against judges, prosecutors, and potential witnesses constitute attempts to obstruct justice, intimidate public officials, and subvert legal accountability—further proof of his belief that he is above the law. In any other era, such behavior by a former or aspiring president would provoke bipartisan censure and congressional action to uphold constitutional limits.

However, Congress has largely abdicated its constitutional role as a check on executive power in Trump’s case, especially among Republican lawmakers. Rather than upholding the principle of accountability, many in Congress have instead sought to shield Trump from scrutiny. House Republicans have launched investigations into the prosecutors handling Trump’s criminal cases, seeking to undermine the judicial process and cast it as politically motivated. This weaponization of congressional oversight not to hold the executive accountable but to protect him is a betrayal of the legislature’s duty to maintain the balance of power. Rather than act as a co-equal branch of government, Congress—particularly the GOP-controlled House—has willingly submitted itself to Trump’s political dominance.

This failure has eroded public faith in democratic institutions. The framers designed a system in which no man—not even a president—would be above the law. But when lawmakers refuse to enforce that principle out of political expedience or fear of alienating a powerful base, they weaken the very foundation of constitutional governance. Trump’s repeated violations of legal norms and the enabling silence—or outright defense—by members of Congress signal a dangerous shift away from accountability. Without a functioning system of checks and balances, the executive becomes untethered from constitutional restraint, setting a precedent that future leaders may exploit to further dismantle the rule of law.