Calling Donald Trump a threat to the rule of law has backfired
It strengthened him politically and led to constitutional protections for presidents, not citizens
To President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump and his “MAGA Republican extremists” are a threat to “the very foundations of our republic”. Democrats once insisted that prosecuting Mr Trump for his conduct as president would illuminate his menace and bar him from the office. For their part, federal prosecutors have never given a hint of partisan objectives; they wanted to vindicate the principle that no one is above the law.
Explore more
This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “The truly imperial presidency”
United States July 20th 2024
- Why MAGA is the future, not just present, of the GOP
- The Trump shooting has made a mockery of the Secret Service
- What was the motive of Trump’s would-be assassin?
- A maverick judge tosses out Donald Trump’s classified-documents case
- Momentum against Joe Biden is mounting again
- Bob Menendez is found guilty of corruption
- Calling Donald Trump a threat to the rule of law has backfired
Discover more
Could an “October surprise” upset America’s election?
What last-minute developments might portend for the race
Donald Trump is preparing an assault on America’s immigration system
The third in our series of policy briefs
What America’s presidential election means for taxes
The second in our series of policy briefs
The Supreme Court begins another contentious term
Guns, vapes, online porn and health care for transgender youth dot the docket
What America’s presidential election means for world trade
The first in a series of eight concise briefs on the consequences of the 2024 election
Checks and Balance newsletter: gender politics in the election
Both parties are telling very different stories about gender