1. United States
2. La.
3. Letter

I am writing as a concerned constituent about what I see as a persistent failure of congressional oversight in response to a growing pattern of serious actions by the President that raise constitutional, legal, and ethical concerns. Individually, some of these actions may be defended or debated. Taken together, they suggest a broader breakdown in checks and balances and an unwillingness by Congress to exercise its constitutional authority. He has granted clemency to approximately 1,600 individuals, including people described as violent offenders, raising questions about the scope, criteria, and oversight of pardon and commutation powers. He ordered the demolition of the East Wing of the White House, raising concerns about the unilateral alteration of a historic federal property without clear public justification or congressional involvement. He has been involved in efforts to restrict or delay the release of the Epstein-related files, which has intensified concerns about transparency, equal application of the law, and public accountability in high-profile investigations. He renamed the Kennedy Center after himself and assumed direct influence over its leadership and operations, raising concerns about the politicization of national cultural institutions and the use of public assets for personal branding. He accepted a $400 million aircraft as a personal gift, raising serious ethical and constitutional questions regarding foreign influence, emoluments, and the boundaries of permissible gifts to a sitting president. He has issued repeated threats toward multiple countries including Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Greenland, Venezuela, Colombia, and Brazil, contributing to diplomatic instability and undermining long-standing alliances. He imposed sweeping tariffs on most countries while excluding Russia, actions widely criticized as exceeding constitutional authority and taken without meaningful congressional approval, contributing to inflationary pressure, supply chain disruption, and global economic uncertainty. He bypassed Congress to initiate military action against Iran during ongoing mediated negotiations, raising fundamental constitutional concerns regarding Article I war powers and the separation of authority between Congress and the Executive Branch. He has made statements threatening extreme destruction of Iran, including language widely interpreted as suggesting the potential eradication of its civilization, escalating tensions and raising profound moral, legal, and international security concerns. The conflict involving Iran has already resulted in significant civilian casualties in its early stages, including reported deaths of children, which warrants immediate congressional oversight hearings and independent investigation into rules of engagement and targeting decisions. He has engaged in rhetoric and actions that have significantly strained relationships with numerous allied nations, weakening trust in NATO and other long-standing alliances, and creating uncertainty in global security cooperation. His immigration enforcement policies have been widely criticized for instilling fear in U.S. communities, including among citizens and lawful residents, raising due process concerns and questions about proportionality and oversight in enforcement actions. There are also ongoing allegations regarding excessive force and deaths occurring during federal immigration enforcement operations, which require full congressional investigation, public reporting, and accountability mechanisms. He has been accused of authorizing unlawful killings in operations conducted on the high seas, raising serious questions under both U.S. constitutional law and international law regarding due process and executive war-making authority. He has used the Department of Justice in ways that raise concerns about selective prosecution and political targeting of opponents, undermining public confidence in the independence of federal law enforcement and equal application of the law. He has also been accused of pressuring or coercing universities, law firms, and other institutions through threats of retaliation or promises of favorable treatment, raising concerns about abuse of federal power and interference with independent civil society institutions. Taken together, these actions represent a pattern of potential executive overreach and an erosion of Congress’s constitutional responsibility to conduct oversight, hold hearings, and enforce limits on executive authority. These developments have unfolded within a single year. You took an oath to the Constitution, not to any individual or administration. It is time for Congress to fulfill its constitutional duty and exercise the oversight powers that are essential to a functioning democracy.