“With fear for our democracy”
Today, the Supreme Court didn’t just err — it declared war on American democracy by giving the President of the United States the powers of a king.
The ruling in Donald J. Trump v. United States is nothing less than a judicial coup. This is not jurisprudence; it is judicial tyranny orchestrated by justices who have forsaken their oath to the Constitution and shredded any pretense of neutrality to wield their collective power as a political weapon for a far-right, extremist, authoritarian agenda.
Here’s everything you need to know and what we need everyone to do next.
DONALD J. TRUMP V. UNITED STATES (AKA, HE REALLY CAN SHOOT SOMEONE ON FIFTH AVENUE)
The Supreme Court has handed Trump a massive victory by ruling that official presidential actions are immune from prosecution, effectively shielding him from accountability for a number of potential crimes committed while in office. It remains to be seen which charges against the former president will survive further legal review — but the truly horrifying prospect here is how this ruling allows Trump — should he win reelection — to wield power like a dictator and use the levers of government to defy the law and attack political rivals.
Think impeachment remains a viable remedy? Under this ruling, Trump or a future autocrat in his image could threaten or even harm Members of Congress calling for the president’s removal. As long as they argue it’s an “official act” and have a loyal majority on the Court, there’s nothing to stop them. Justice Sotomayor said it perfectly in her dissent:
“When he uses his official powers in any way, under the majority’s reasoning, he now will be insulated from criminal prosecution. Orders the Navy’s Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival? Immune. Organizes a military coup to hold onto power? Immune. Takes a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immune. Immune, immune, immune… With fear for our democracy, I dissent.”
This decision isn’t about protecting the presidency; it’s about protecting Donald Trump and ensuring that the MAGA agenda remains untouchable.
Trump’s legal strategy has always been to delay his trials until after the next election, hoping to win and potentially pardon himself. This ruling plays directly into that strategy, delaying justice and undermining the rule of law. The implications are staggering. By granting Trump this immunity, the Court has not only placed the president above the law but also set a precedent that will allow future presidents to evade accountability for any misconduct under the guise of “official acts.” This decision paves the way for unchecked presidential power, making a mockery of our legal system and eroding public trust in our institutions.
THE SUPREME COURT’S DESCENT INTO ILLEGITIMACY
The Supreme Court is no longer legitimate. It has devolved into a shameless political hatchet, ruthlessly carving away at our rights and constitutional order under the guise of justice. This isn’t just a poor judgment; it’s the clearest indication yet that the Supreme Court has become a MAGA institution, legislating from the bench to advance the interests of a fascistic minority and a presidential candidate who has called to terminate the Constitution.
Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised. Five of the nine justices were appointed by presidents who lost the popular vote. The three justices appointed by Donald Trump were confirmed by senators representing a minority of the American people. And two — Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett — were appointed through starkly undemocratic means, orchestrated by bad actors willing to change the rules to suit their needs (Mitch McConnell’s lasting legacy, that’s for sure).
But, we can’t be complacent.
AND WHAT THE HELL WE’RE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT
So… what now?
You’re going to receive A LOT of emails today from A LOT of organizations with different ideas on what should come next. Impeach Samuel Alito (this is not going to happen). Impeach Clarence Thomas (also not going to happen). Sign this petition declaring the Supreme Court illegitimate (sure, but what does that do besides add your name to another email list?). You’re going to hear a lot of speeches from politicians and read a lot of fundraising emails. But, the reality is these asks either don’t matter or will not save us (like the courts).
Here’s the hard truth: This Supreme Court’s authoritarian vision is incompatible with democracy. And for the next 126 days before the election, we need to treat this like the emergency it is.
The only way that we can stop SCOTUS before they act further to snuff out our rights, our bodily autonomy, and our freedom is to fight like hell to retake our Democratic trifecta and for Democrats to stiffen their spines, reform the filibuster, pass democracy reform, codify reproductive rights, and expand the Court to unrig the MAGA supermajority disguised in judicial robes.
Period.
So today, we’re asking you to take a deep breath, roll up your sleeves, and get to work. Because no petition is going to save us — but we can save us.
- Talk to your neighbors. We need to wake up the electorate. Take this message to the streets. Illustrate the chilling reality — that a rogue Supreme Court is working as an arm of Trump’s MAGA agenda. Talk to voters, explain the stakes, and mobilize them to get involved. Check to see if you’re eligible for our easy-to-use, more-impactful-than-any-other-voter-contact-method tool — Neighbor2Neighbor — is available in your area here.
- If Neighbor2Neighbor is not available in your area, sign up to phonebank, textbank, write postcards, and any of the other ways we have to get involved this election year here. Talking directly to your neighbors may be the most effective way to make a difference this cycle, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only way. We will be pulling out all of the stops to turn out the vote this year, and we cannot succeed without your help. Sign up for your contact method of choice, and let’s get to work!
- Chip in to fund this work. Look, we know that you’re getting a lot of spammy fundraising emails this cycle (let’s not even talk about the text messages). But we also know that there are only 126 days until the election, and Indivisible volunteers are already working to reach voters in battleground states and make this election a referendum on MAGA extremism. We have the best volunteers, the most effective tools, and a winning strategy, but the honest-to-God truth is that the number of voters we can reach before Election Day depends on the support we receive now.
All the alarm bells are ringing, folks. It’s up to us to save our democracy.
