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When the Rule of Law Is an Inconvenience, We Have an Authoritarian in Office

This is precisely what we have seen with Donald Trump, whose presidency—and potential return to office—demonstrates a blatant disregard for legal constraints in favor of personal rule.

Libby Winkler
5 min readFeb 10, 2025
Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

When the Rule of Law Is an Inconvenience, We Have an Authoritarian in Office

In a democracy, the rule of law serves as the foundation of governance—ensuring that no one, not even the highest officeholder, is above it. However, when a leader perceives the law as an impediment to their authority, democracy risks veering towards authoritarianism. Donald Trump's presidency and potential return to office demonstrate a blatant disregard for legal constraints in favor of personal rule.

Trump has repeatedly treated the law as optional, as evidenced by his flurry of executive orders, illegal defiance of laws, purging of civil servants, and immigration policies that border on racial cleansing.

The implications are dangerous: democracy cannot function when the highest officeholder believes legal limitations apply only when they are convenient.

Trump’s Authoritarian…

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Libby Winkler
Libby Winkler

Written by Libby Winkler

Freelance writer who loves exploring the messiness of humanity, while poking around in nooks of life and shining light on all the things that make us complex..

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