President Trump describes himself as a consequential President. Regrettably, that is true. There is little doubt he will leave America different than it was when he took office.
Donald Trump has worked hard to be consequential. But he hasn’t done this by working with Congress. Instead, he has aggressively expanded Executive Power beyond that exercised by any recent President. (Trump also has worked overtime to make sure he is remembered after he leaves office, unfortunately through stunts like proposing to rename the Kennedy Center after himself, building his ballroom, festooning the White House in Gold, and, planning to hold an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight at the White House next June.)
Many of us have been horrified by some of Trump’s actions. The firing of thousands of federal employees shortly after Inauguration Day comes to mind, as do the recent military strikes on suspected drug boats, and the unnecessary and irresponsible closure of the federal government.
But many others, presumably including the President’s MAGA base, praise Trump’s actions, citing “successes,” including border security and “cutting government waste,” as well as ICE raids and deportations, “ending DEI at elite colleges” and, ironically, “ending the weaponization of the Department of Justice.”
One friend of mine who is reluctant to criticize Trump suggests that fear of change prompts opposition to Trump’s policies and actions. As the friend puts it, “You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.”
President Trump has broken a lot of eggs, but what is often more disturbing than the particulars of some of the eggs being broken is how he went about breaking them. When legislative authorization did not exist, as was the case with the Trump tariffs and dozens of other actions taken via Executive Orders, he has moved forward without one.
In Trump’s mind, his ends justified the means. To me and the eight million people worried that Trump sees himself as a king, the ends don’t. Simply put, even if I were to agree with Trump policies, he should not pursue them in violation of the Constitution.
In recent conversations, I have been surprised to find otherwise reasonable people tell me that while they don’t agree with “everything Trump is doing,” they hesitate to suggest that Trump is destroying the Constitution by violating it.
Do you agree with President Trump that his ends justify his means?
I don’t. I want the President to act in accordance with the Constitution—and I mean with the Constitution as written, not as the current Supreme Court sometimes interprets it. I do not want suspected drug boats to be destroyed in a macho “shoot first and let God sort it out” attacks, even if fewer shipments of deadly drugs headed to America are intercepted.
And I don’t want federal agencies and programs authorized and funded by Congress to be closed via Executive Orders. I want Congress to determine the laws of the land. I want the President to carry out those laws. Period.
The Constitution and democracy have become endangered species because we have a President who believes he is above the law. That is scary. It is also why Congressional power must be restored in the 2026 mid-term elections.
Don’t forget that election day 2026—November 3rd— is less than a year away. It’s time to get busy.
J.E. Dean writes on politics, government, goldendoodles, and other subjects. A former counsel on Capitol Hill and public affairs consultant, Dean also writes for Dean’s Issues & Insights on Substack.
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