by WILL COOPER
NEW YORK – THE return of Donald Trump to the White House has reignited fierce debate at home and abroad.
Critics argue that his leadership style—combative, unilateral and intensely personal—poses risks to democratic norms, the rule of law and global stability.
In the United States, concerns have been voiced across the political spectrum.
The conservative-leaning Wall Street Journal editorial board warned in 2024 that Trump’s rhetoric about using federal power against rivals “tests the boundaries of constitutional government”.
The New York Times editorial board wrote that “a president is not a king, and the American system is designed to prevent one person from bending justice to his will”.
Former federal judge J. Michael Luttig cautioned that efforts to pressure or direct the Department of Justice for political ends would be “a grave threat to the rule of law”.
At Capitol Hill, lawmakers have complained about what they describe as a pattern of governing by ultimatum rather than consultation.
Senator Mitt Romney said in a public statement that “character matters in leadership, and the example set at the top shapes the nation’s civic culture”.
Such critiques reflect anxiety that democratic institutions depend not only on laws, but on restraint and respect for norms.
Abroad, allies and multilateral institutions have also expressed unease.
After renewed tariff threats, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that “trade wars are bad for business and worse for consumers”.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that escalating great-power confrontation risks “sleepwalking into a wider conflict with devastating consequences”.
In the Middle East, humanitarian groups responding to the war in Gaza have said that continued arms flow to Israel and other combatants “fuel further civilian suffering”.
Economically, critics argue that sweeping tariffs and sanctions can unsettle global markets.
The International Monetary Fund cautioned that rising protectionism “could fragment the global economy and reduce long-term growth”.
Business leaders in Asia and Europe have similarly warned that abrupt decoupling without coordinated planning increases uncertainty and dampens investment.
The broader lesson many scholars draw is that concentrated power, especially when paired with a willingness to personalize state institutions, carries inherent dangers.
Political scientist Steven Levitsky has written that democracies erode when leaders treat rivals as enemies and institutions as obstacles rather than guardrails.
Militarizing policy choices, sidelining oversight, or framing dissent as disloyalty can weaken checks and balances that protect rights and prevent abuse.
History shows that stable democracies rely on consultation, transparency and accountability.
When leaders appear to act unilaterally, disregard independent institutions, or blur the line between personal grievance and public duty, domestic polarization deepens and international trust frays.
Whether one supports or opposes Trump, the vigorous criticism from newspapers, judges, lawmakers, global officials and economists underscores a central democratic principle: no leader is above the law, and enduring peace and prosperity depend on cooperation, respect for human rights and fidelity to constitutional order.
– CAJ News
