1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

President Trump’s recent public threats to wage "war" on Chicago, complete with militarized imagery and the rebranding of the Defense Department as a “Department of War,” represent a profound degradation of presidential dignity and a dangerous assault on democratic norms. His rhetoric not only undermines the solemnity of the office but risks inciting violence, division, and a constitutional crisis. For the sitting president to depict a major American city as a battlefield and to label deportations as something to relish—especially using apocalyptic imagery—is unbecoming of the leader of a free society. Rather than reassuring citizens, this language fans the flames of political and social unrest, further eroding trust in our institutions. These actions imperil democracy itself. The deployment of federal military assets and staging of troops without state consent distort the boundary between civilian rule and militarized authority. Such conduct not only infringes on state sovereignty but also undermines the rule of law, potentially truncating civil liberties and setting a perilous precedent for executive overreach. Silence from Congress in the face of these threats is not neutrality—it is complicity. Any members of Congress who fail to speak out must understand that their inaction serves to normalize militarized intimidation. If American citizens are harmed—whether by law enforcement overreach, military force, or politically motivated tactics—the public will hold accountable those who remained passive when constitutional norms were at stake. History will judge harshly those who stood silent. We are at a pivotal moment: either our leaders rise in defense of democratic principles, or they enable the expansion of authoritarian tactics from within. Congress must act immediately—publicly, forcefully, and decisively—to reaffirm the rule of law, respect for human rights, and the preservation of democratic governance.