Who are his “enemies” now? The millions of Americans who voted for Joe Biden? The Democratic presidential majorities in Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania? His former national security advisers, his former attorney general, his vice president, the Republican Senate leader, every living ex-secretary of Defense, the federal judiciary, and even his past supporters? Is anyone who speaks against him now an “enemy”? To say yes to these questions only underscores the extent to which Trump has personalized his authority, departed from the traditions of his office, and deranged American politics.
There will be time to sort through the wreckage of the conservative movement and the Republican Party. There is not as much time — a little less than 14 days — to constrain the president before he plunges the nation’s capital into havoc again. Incitement to trespass, harassment, and destruction cannot go unanswered. The Constitution offers remedies. Pursue them — for no other reason than to deter the president from escalation. There must be a cost for reckless endangerment of the United States government. Trump must pay.
