How 'Bad' Would a Trump 2024 Win be for America? - President Joe Biden clearly sees that he can't exactly run on a strong economy even as Wall Street has hit record levels in May. Unemployment may be low, but inflation remains stubbornly high. Thus, Biden is running against his rival's record and warned that former President Donald Trump is a threat to our nation's very democracy.

"Whether democracy is still America's sacred cause is the most urgent question of our time," Biden said in a January speech that was meant to mark the third anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol Building. "That's what the 2024 election is all about."

Critics of the former president have also cautioned that a second Trump White House could spell doom for America.

"I think it would be the end of our country as we know it," warned Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in 2016, in an interview with ABC's The View earlier this month. "And I don't say that lightly."

Trump has promised that he would pardon those who took part in the January 6 insurrection on the Capitol Building and vowed to go after political rivals. According to the government watchdog Citizens For Ethics in Washington (CREW), Trump has threatened or at least suggested that he would employ the FBI and the Department of Justice (DoJ) to take action against judges, members of the Biden family, U.S. lawmakers, and even non-governmental organizations.

"It would be a disaster for America. He's already made it very clear that his second term is going to be a revenge term. He's going to use the power of government to persecute and prosecute his enemies and to cement his own power, or at least the power of his allies and cronies," Allan Lichtman, a history professor at American University in Washington, told The Guardian newspaper. "He's already shown he has no respect for the law or for the traditions of American democracy and so a second Trump term would be very frightening."

The Checks and Balances on Donald Trump?

Of course, the American system was designed to prevent the extreme abuse of power. The issue is whether our political divide is so great that American lawmakers actually can focus on this fact. It could be argued that Democrats were so against Trump that they were waiting for any excuse to launch an impeachment effort against him (and in fairness this has been the norm for too long, going back to the Clinton era).

Trump was deemed an illegitimate president within hours of his victory in 2016, and it continued even after he departed the White House. Thus, at least some of Trump's vendetta was brought on by his political rivals.

At the same time, Republicans stand by Trump regardless of what he says or does.

The question now is whether Republican lawmakers are willing to put country above party – a point all the more notable given that former Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley all but endorsed Trump this month. Those Republicans, like former Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who have stood up to Trumpism have been driven from office. Thus, there could be a valid concern that if reelected, Trump would be free to do whatever the heck he wants (to use his own words).

Where does that leave us? Is Trump destined to be America's last elected president?

The answer is no. Trump is a senior citizen who will be in his mid-80s by the end of his second term. To put it bluntly, we shouldn't be surprised if he dies of natural causes before 2028 given the average life expectancy and his overall health. Even if he lives to see the end of his term, it would be virtually impossible for him to remain in power.

Yet, can he still "damage" American democracy?

The answer to this is yes and no. It depends on what we mean by damage. Future laws can be changed, as they were changed in the past. Wanting revenge and acting upon it are still too very different things. Trump may seek to launch a vendetta against his rivals, but he won't have an army of lackeys to do his bidding on day one. It will still take time for him to appoint those to support his agenda, and unless he gains control of both houses of Congress, lawmakers can – and almost certainly will – stand in his way.

Finally, there is the U.S. military. The oath taken by servicemembers is to the Constitution of the United States of America, not to a man and not even the president. The military is still made up of good men and women who put aside political differences and won't allow any man or woman to abolish the Constitution and become a dictator.

In other words, it is simply hyperbole – from both sides – that needs to stop. A Trump presidency will certainly change America, just as any presidency changes America. This is due to the will of the people.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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