1. United States
2. Letter

I am writing to express my profound alarm about recent rhetoric and actions from former President Donald Trump that threaten the foundations of lawful governance and democratic accountability in the United States. In recent public remarks, Mr. Trump has used language that many Americans—including military law experts and public-service professionals—perceive as dangerous, especially when directed at political opponents. When elected officials or public servants remind members of the military that they have a legal duty not to follow unlawful orders, they are upholding one of the most fundamental principles of the U.S. system of checks and balances. For any political figure to frame such reminders as disloyalty or to respond with language implying punishment or violence is not only inappropriate—it is profoundly destabilizing. Our democracy depends on a military that follows the Constitution above any individual leader. Equally concerning are Mr. Trump’s stated intentions regarding the systems that safeguard against corruption within the judiciary. Reports that he seeks to eliminate or sideline long-standing, nonpartisan vetting processes for federal judicial nominees—processes designed to assess qualifications, temperament, ethics, and independence—should alarm every American regardless of party. These safeguards exist precisely so that no president can fill the courts with individuals selected primarily for personal loyalty or political usefulness. Dismantling these protections, combined with aggressive rhetoric toward political opponents, paints a deeply troubling picture: one of a leader seeking to consolidate power by placing loyalists in positions meant to be independent while simultaneously attacking those who uphold lawful constraints on executive authority. This is not normal. It is not healthy. And it is not compatible with the constitutional system we all rely on. I urge your office and every elected official, journalist, and civic leader to treat these developments with the seriousness they deserve. Democratic institutions do not collapse all at once—they erode when the guardrails designed to restrain individual power are weakened one by one. We cannot allow that to happen in this country.