No Kings: The Declaration of Independence vs The Trump Administration

No Kings: The Declaration of Independence vs The Trump Administration A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. -The Declaration of Independence Donald Trump's administration is anathema to the pragmatic, law-based, and capitalistic conservative values of the United States that make the United States strong, as well as the liberal, humanistic, and progressive values that make the United States great. What follows is an annotated copy of the Declaration of Independence, drawing comparisons between the abuses of King George III and those of Donald Trump, Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, JD Vance, et al. …We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — Unalienable God-given rights apply to all people everywhere, regardless of race, religion, or immigration status. Abraham Lincoln put it this way, couching it in terms of the American Dream: "When one starts poor, as most do in the race of life, free society is such that he knows he can better his condition; he knows that there is no fixed condition of labor, for his whole life. I want every man to have the chance — and I believe a black man is entitled to it — in which he can better his condition — when he may look forward and hope to be a hired laborer this year and the next, work for himself afterward, and finally to hire men to work for him. That is the true system." When we recognize that the systems of labor that prevent that dream from being realized, both here in the US and overseas, are controlled in many cases, especially in Latin America, by American business interests, we recognize that the vast majority of immigrants to the United States are seeking that dream that Lincoln described. Like African-Americans in the 1850s, they are denied the full equality and the God-given rights that grounds the very reason the United States of America exists. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — Due to the Citizens United ruling and increasing inequality due to tax cuts for the wealthy and corporate consolidation, the government of the United States no longer serves the average American person, and instead serves the interest of billionaire donors and corporations through Super PACs. This is evidenced through the massive mergers being approved, tariffs, the inordinate monopoly power wielded by tech and AI companies, and the rising costs of living and prices driven mainly by profit margins. The government is meant to be the check that balances the interests of the people against the greed of unfettered capitalism. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness… The United States is based on the simple Common Sense logic that "if the government isn't working for your safety and happiness, and shows a clear plan for turning to absolute Despotism/Dictatorship, it is your civic duty to get rid of the government and create better safeguards…i.e., checks and balances, to power. I have added numbers to the Declaration of Independence's list of grievances. 1)He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. The Republican Administration under Donald Trump, or as some are referring to it, "the grift," has gutted anti-corruption, consumer protection, and anti-trust law enforcement. These are laws and agencies that exist to protect the American people. The executive branch is refusing to execute the will of the American people, particularly when it comes to laws that might affect their profit margins. Through cryptocurrencies, licensing, and gifts, Donald Trump has increased his net worth by as much as 3 billion dollars since coming back to office in 2025. The insider trading, fraud, quid pro quos, and corruption of the administration is brazen. In any other political moment, it's hard to imagine this not ending in impeachment, with sloppy perpetrators like Kristi Noem behind bars. The leaders of the United States are using the American government as their personal money piñata, after they gutted the agencies that are supposed to keep that from happening with DOGE. 2)He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. As the head of the executive branch, Donald Trump has refused to execute the laws and systems created by years of legislation. He has gutted organizations like the EPA, anti-corruption enforcement, and NOAA. Through DOGE, the government created by our representatives in Congress has been in many places destroyed and starved. 3)He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. Sanctuary laws are laws implemented by elected representatives of our communities for the benefit of those communities. Imposing federal laws over the pragmatic solutions of states responding to outdated immigration laws that don't recognize physical, financial, social, or moral realities is a gross violation of states' rights and the will of the people. We don't want masked men with guns roaming our streets where our children play, and we don't want our schoolkids being taken away in handcuffs because their parents believed that America is great. 4)He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. The SAVE America act, championed by the Trump administration and currently under debate, threatens the vote of rural, poor, overseas, and married voters around the country, as well as threatening mail-in voting for those who have to work, live far away, or might be afraid to go to a polling place. 5)He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. Not yet, but he did try to overthrow the 2020 election, threatened the Georgia Secretary of State and encouraged those shouting that his VP should be hanged, and all signs point to that not being the last election he tries to influence through less than savory legal and illegal means. 6)He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. While Trump has not yet interfered in the legislative elective positions in the United States, 80 ambassadorships are currently empty, with 30 ambassadors being fired in December, leaving the front-line representatives of American interests around the world without leadership. DOGE of course also cut protections for Americans. Trump has also crusaded against those who have opposed him in court for doing their jobs, including recently celebrating the death of FBI Director Robert Mueller, saying "I'm glad he's dead. Now he can't hurt anymore innocent people." (Mueller directed the probe into the 2016 election where, despite finding clear evidence of meddling, he found no evidence of criminal conspiracy between Trump and Russia) 7)He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands. The early United States saw settling the land as part of what America is, and to achieve that goal, considered immigrants essential to the growth of the country. Lincoln's Republicans advocated for there to be no restrictions on immigration to the United States. From a pragmatic standpoint, population growth generally is economic growth, and there is rarely any exception to that rule. The economic and communal prosperity of the United States, as well as the civil liberties of every American, are deeply threatened by the Trump administration's goal of deporting millions of people from the United States. The administration is also trying to appropriate public lands and open them up to exploitation by large corporations, taking lands that are free to use by all Americans and meant to protect the environment and making them for the use of mining corporations. 8)He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. The administration hasn't disenfranchised the courts completely, but he has gotten in repeated trouble for ignoring court orders, most recently visible in the case of a Justice Department lawyer having a breakdown. The suppression of the Epstein files, their uneven release, and many other threats, lawsuits, and executive orders threaten the rule of law and the legitimacy of the courts. 9)He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. While the dependence on Trump alone part is more reminiscent of Trump's takeover as Sun King of the Republican Party, as well as his "who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?" approach to news and truth, the judicial branch has basically been subjected to a DDOS attack by executive order and is undergoing one of the greatest stress tests it has ever faced. Immigration judges have been purged, with over 100 being fired, many without cause. 10)He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance. ICE has been terrorizing communities around the United States, harassing people, arresting citizens and people with legal status, killing observers and protestors, as well as destroying commerce, businesses, and safety in our communities. 11)He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. The illegal deployment of ICE and the National Guard to Los Angeles, Portland, Minneapolis, and elsewhere has been struck down by courts and opposed by state legislatures and governors, whose prerogative is it to govern their states. 12)He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power. By deploying troops to Iran and continuing a war that is clearly in opposition to the will of the American people and cannot be justified before them, Trump is using the American military in ways that not only put Americans around the world in danger. Laws must be passed to limit the ability of the president to unilaterally wage war. The administration have also threatened the independence of the military, with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth removing female and black generals with no cause and blocking their promotions, as well as trying to purge the military, CIA, and other agencies of career leaders who don't share MAGA views (Many of whom see Trump as the MAGA movement as a threat to the United States) 13)He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation: Taxation without representation was a big deal for the revolutionary Americans. Tariffs are exactly that. Epstein's power derived greatly from his ability to help rich elites avoid paying taxes. 14)For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us: The deployment of ICE and the National Guard to American cities (and airports) in a time of peace absent any clear or present danger is unprecedented in American politics. 15)For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: Despite clear evidence that ICE officers used excessive force murdering protestors, the administration publicly tried to sway public opinion on what should have been an ongoing murder investigation, defending ICE actions by attacking the character of the murdered protestors. 16)For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: Unilaterally declaring tariffs and creating trade wars has the same effect as the British Empire's rule that the United States could only trade directly with England and not with other countries or colonies: it stymies trade, creates hardship for businesses, and creates unnecessary crises of cost and supply. 17)For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: Tariffs, in practice, amount to a tax on the consumer in the end, and when they are imposed by executive order, they are imposed without the approval of the legal representatives of most Americans. Administration budget priorities and waste are also not in line with the priorities of average Americans. 18)For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury: The wholesale deportation of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants has never been granted trial by jury. Immigration courts are "separate and not equal." However, even immigration courts are not functioning, as ICE is directly deporting people to places like El Salvador without a hearing, sometimes even US citizens. Immigration appeals courts are not granting almost any appeals anymore, as the administration just wants everyone deported. 19)For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences: As John Oliver pointed out in his recent exposé on police stings, police in the Denver area hired poor Venezuelans to buy guns for them at very high prices, and then arrested and deported them. Additionally, the deportation of immigrants to third countries like Rwanda, South Sudan, Equatorial Guinea, Uganda, and CECOT basically amount to "extraordinary rendition for immigrants" with no legal basis or logic being provided. 20)For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies: This refers to Quebec, which was expanded south to the Ohio River and where trial by jury was suspended. While it isn't a perfect analog, the Trump Administration's deployment of the National Guard and ICE to sanctuary cities is a clear pattern of trying to normalize the deployment of soldiers in the United States in order to impose the will of the federal government on cities who have different laws. This is a major states' rights issue, and the supreme court declared the National Guard deployments illegal. 21)For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: 22)For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever. The widespread use of rule by executive order cuts out representation from our political process. While the courts have in many cases curtailed the actions of the Trump administration and declared them illegal, the administration has already issued a similar number of executive orders as Obama issued in 8 years in office in just over a year. The checks and balances, the separation of powers, and the basic functions of much of the government are under threat. 23)He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. Beyond deploying troops to our cities, the Trump administration has repeatedly spoken out against those who don't share his views, declaring verbal war on Americans and seeing the people he's supposed to represent as enemies. Instead of governing as an elective representative of the American people, the Trump administration (and complicit tech companies) is seeking to impose its will on the American people, using its power to suppress dissent and create a country in their own image rather than defending all American citizens. 24)He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. The environmental and economic impact of the Trump administration is not yet clear, nor it will it be for quite some time, but it is not looking good so far. 25)He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation. While there are not hordes of foreign mercenaries descending on the United States, it should be noted that the big beautiful bill provided funding for ICE that was larger than the funding for the US Marine Corps and provided more money for immigration enforcement than is used to police the entire United States! The FBI, the government agency tasked with protecting the United States from imminent threats, received only 10 billion dollars in funding, whereas ICE received 89 billion. 26)He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. Impressment hasn't been taking place here in the US (ask Central Asians in Russia or draft dodgers in Ukraine about that), thank goodness. However, this seems the most appropriate time to mention that the Trump administration has turned its back on Afghans who fought for the US in the war there, most clearly with his cancellation of TPS status for Afghan nationals, many of whom risked their lives and families to fight for the US. 27)He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions. Yes, despite its lofty beginnings, the Declaration of Independence is a racist document on this point and highlights the fact that one of the key differences of opinion between the United States and the British overlords was that the citizens of the United States felt entitled to Native lands west of the Appalachian Mountains. One can note, however, here, that Trump is bitterly and intentionally divisive. That his merciless troll armies and in his own tweets, he insults and attempts to damage the reputations of people he disagrees with, while suing and threatening those who do the same to him, most notably in trying to get Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert fired. Additionally, the war in Iran puts American citizens everywhere in danger and risks a greater conflict. 28)In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. The fact is, the self-serving, narrow, and autocratic rule of the Trump Administration (Hi Stephen Miller!) is incompatible with government by and for the people. Americans voted for a president they thought would "drain the swamp," ending government inefficiency and waste, not someone who would open the doors to foreign bribes, run pump-and-dump schemes, and enrich themselves at the expense of the American people. Americans voted for an end to forever wars, not new wars in the Middle East. Americans voted for economic affordability and a president who claimed to care about and see the needs of the average American, not a president who would serve mega-corporations and tech overlords. We didn't vote for economic crises caused by erratic governing through tariff decrees and wars. Americans voted for safe, stable, communities, not communities full of terror, fear, and masked men with guns in camouflage running around abducting elementary school children in the name of the law. Americans wanted immigration pathways to be normalized and legalized, not for peaceful asylum seekers, refugees, and longterm residents to be deported when they show up for migration meetings. Americans want a system that works, not for all systems and checks and balances to be destroyed. Americans want a country they feel proud of. Where everyone has a chance and fair treatment so that with some hard work, like Lincoln said, they can be the boss some day. The current administration is corrupt, unchristian, not conservative, rejects American values, and is exactly the kind of leadership we fought a war to get away from 250 years ago. We need to fight now using all non-violent means available to us, to hold the current administration accountable for its crimes and keep it from continuing to undermine our democracy and the prosperity of the American people.