1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am writing because what I just saw from Mike Johnson—creating and presenting an “America First” award to trump—was not just inappropriate. It was disturbing. I am flabbergasted. And more than that, I am deeply concerned about what this says about where we are as a country. Congress exists under Article I of the Constitution to act as a check on the executive branch—not to flatter it, reward it, or organize itself around one person’s ego. That is the basic structure of our government. But what this looks like is something else entirely: a pattern where attention is constantly focused on keeping one individual satisfied. Where leaders appear preoccupied with what will please him, what will earn approval, and what will keep them in favor. Where affirmation, awards, and praise are not occasional—they are constant. At some point, it has to be said plainly: this is a grown man holding immense power, and yet there appears to be a constant need to provide affirmation, recognition, and symbolic rewards just to keep him satisfied. The expectation should be accountability and responsibility, not a steady stream of affirmation. And when Congress participates in that constant need for affirmation, it weakens itself. Instead of exercising independent judgment, it begins to look dependent—reactive to one person’s moods and approval rather than grounded in its constitutional role. It starts to look like power is being maintained by keeping one man happy, instead of serving the American people. This dynamic resembles patterns Americans have long recognized as warning signs elsewhere. When Kim Jong-un is staged riding a white horse up a mountain for state media, or when Vladimir Putin is repeatedly presented in carefully crafted “strongman” images—bare-chested on horseback, cast as a larger-than-life figure—those displays are not about governance. They are about reinforcing loyalty to a single person. That is why this matters. While this award may seem small, it is emblematic. It reflects a broader shift where too much of our political system appears oriented around one individual—what satisfies him, what elevates him, what keeps him at the center of attention, and what soothes a fragile need for constant public validation. There is a difference between honoring meaningful service and manufacturing praise. Americans have seen former presidents earn respect through real, substantive work. That kind of recognition stands on its own. It does not need to be constantly created. I also want to say this plainly: many of the leaders engaging in this behavior publicly ground themselves in Christian values. But elevating one man through constant praise and symbolic rewards is not humility, and it is not consistent with those values. Congress should be governing, overseeing, and representing the American people—not reinforcing a system where power revolves around keeping one individual satisfied. This is not normal. It is not what the Constitution set up. And it needs to stop.