1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

The damage Trump is doing to democratic institutions won't repair itself the moment he leaves office. Congress needs to start drafting legislation now to restore the guardrails he has dismantled — before the next administration, whoever leads it, inherits unchecked executive power as the new normal. Trump's presidency has exposed how much of our democracy rested on norms rather than law. Courts have largely placed the president above the rule of law. Independent agencies have been stripped of their independence. Media outlets have bent to regulatory pressure. These aren't abstract concerns — they are structural vulnerabilities that will outlast Trump if Congress does nothing. The midterms are coming, and pre-election polls suggest Republicans face a significant defeat. That window of political opportunity won't stay open forever. Start the work now: codify limits on executive power, protect independent agencies, and close the loopholes Trump exploited. The resistance has held, but holding the line isn't the same as fixing the foundation.