1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

I write to you not as a partisan, but as a citizen who expects every elected official to honor their oath to the Constitution. This letter is personal, because your silence—and in some cases, your continued support of Donald Trump—can no longer be explained away as political strategy. It is a failure of duty. Donald Trump has made clear through word and deed that he is not committed to the rule of law or democratic governance. His tenure in office was defined by abuse of power, unchecked corruption, and contempt for constitutional limits. He attempted to overturn an election. He encouraged political violence. He used the levers of government not to govern, but to enrich himself and punish those who challenged him. The record is not ambiguous. His actions were not rooted in legitimate policy but in vengeance and personal gain. His economic decisions—especially those involving cuts, deregulations, and targeted federal funding—often lacked any coherent political philosophy and instead served to reward loyalty and punish dissent. That is not conservatism. That is sabotage. And yet you have neither condemned these actions nor taken steps to prevent their repetition. You have failed to defend the institutional safeguards this country depends on. If Trump returns to power and attempts to invoke martial law, deploy federal agencies for political ends, or issue illegal directives, will you comply—or will you finally resist? As U.S. v. Nixon established, no president is above the law. The Uniform Code of Military Justice, Article 92, reinforces that unlawful orders are not to be followed. That same principle applies here. And the Insurrection Act does not provide cover for a president seeking to override lawful governance through force. James Madison warned us in Federalist No. 51 that “ambition must be made to counteract ambition.” Congress was designed to be a check on executive overreach. When Richard Nixon crossed the line, Republicans such as Barry Goldwater did not hesitate to hold him accountable. What has changed? The 14th Amendment, Section 3, bars from office any official who has “engaged in insurrection.” Trump’s actions before, during, and after January 6th speak directly to that clause. The Constitution does not grant immunity to political favorites. So I ask you plainly: Can you look me in the eye and tell me, with no moral reservation, that Donald Trump seeks to serve anything beyond his own power? If you believe that, then say so. Defend that belief before your constituents. If you do not believe it, then your silence is indefensible. The stakes could not be higher. Your decisions in the coming months will define your legacy—whether you stood for the republic, or merely stood by.