The fact that Donald Trump is supported by the Republican Party and across the media as the leading Republican candidate for president does grave damage to the nation’s commitment to the Constitution. The Constitution’s 14th Amendment states: “No person shall ... hold any office ... under the United States ... who, having previously taken an oath ... to support the Constitution ... shall have engaged in insurrection ... against the same.”

Millions saw Trump on television take “an oath to support the Constitution” during his inauguration. Millions saw him, again on television, “engage in insurrection ... against the same” Jan. 6, passively by doing nothing to stop the uprising and actively by intensifying and prolonging the violence via his tweet inciting the mob to attack Mike Pence.

It doesn’t take a Supreme Court decision to recognize that, under terms of the 14th Amendment, Trump’s behavior disqualifies him from holding (or, accordingly, seeking) any U.S. government office ever again. If we are to honor the Constitution, Donald Trump’s name will have to be removed from the ballot in every state and his “campaign” immediately removed from public view and consideration.

Charles Harding

Mystic