Trump Will Not Rein Himself In

The U.S. president refuses to respect the boundaries set by the system of separation of powers. The rule of law? An independent judiciary? Only when it suits him.

Anyone could see this coming. After being acquitted in his impeachment trial, President Donald Trump will now give himself free rein and do as he pleases. He commented on the long prison sentence called for by prosecutors in the criminal case against one of his former confidants – who has been found guilty – describing the situation as horrible and unfair and spoke of it as a miscarriage of justice.

Then, shortly afterward, the U.S. Department of Justice harshly challenged prosecutors on the sentence they had recommended, after which prosecutors withdrew from the case. It can be seen immediately how Trump’s response is an abuse of power, and, as mentioned above, it comes only a few days after the end of his impeachment trial. Trump cannot and will not hold back.

Even more worrying is that this president refuses to respect the institutional boundaries set by the system of separation of powers. Like all absolutists, he considers himself to be above it all. The rule of law? An independent judiciary? Only when it suits Trump; and when it does not, he seeks to discredit and mock those involved.

This is what makes people lose faith in state institutions—although maybe that is exactly what Trump wants? He considers himself a champion of the people, that he is enough. In his eyes, there cannot be any other centers of power. Yet the U.S. Constitution does not allow for an absolute ruler, it does not place all power in the hands of only one person. The leader in the White House is not there to oversee the judiciary. Trump’s dream is the same as that of any other autocrat.