In our lives, it is inevitable that, at some point, we will encounter a bully. It is never easy to stand up to someone who is bigger, louder, and has more power. It is always a situation full of risk.   

When I was 8 years old, I saw my older brother’s best friend being beat up by a much bigger boy. There was a group of kids surrounding them and cheering them on. I was scared, but I ran right into the middle of the fight. When I tried to break it up, the bigger kid picked me up immediately and tossed me aside. At that moment, I felt powerless, but I also learned some life lessons. 

Bullies target those they perceive as weak. They use their position of power, real or imagined, to intimidate those they believe won’t or can’t fight back. Out of fear and a desire for self-preservation, bystanders often do nothing to stop them. Of course, there are also those who take pleasure in seeing cruelty and will cheer on the oppressor for the sheer entertainment they provide. 

Bullies operate in an environment in which they create individual and collective fear. What motivates them? Is it a sense of entitlement, an inflated ego, a narcissistic personality disorder, or the inability to feel empathy? In reality, it is the bully who is often weak and scared. Their arrogant bravado masks their own insecurities. 

Of course, bullies are not just individuals. From hate groups who threaten with violence and intimidation to censors who burn books to elected officials who use their power to erase the existence of those they don’t like, bullies can be anyone who uses their power in unjust ways. 

The current president of the United States of America is a bully. This should not be a surprise to anyone. He has always been one, but this moment is different and more dangerous. Unbothered by the need for re-election and blindly supported by his party, an emboldened President Trump is attempting to radically change our nation from its roots as a democratic republic to an autocracy existing under his total control. 

In a mere six weeks, Trump has upended nearly 250 years of governing norms. Like a bully striding around on the playground looking for his next victims, he has created an atmosphere of fear and chaos. When fear reigns, the unimaginable can happen. To start, Trump has run roughshod over the Constitution. As he tries to centralize all governmental power into his own hands, he violates daily the separation of powers between the three co-equal branches of government. 

Trump has signed an executive order that unlawfully voids a fundamental constitutional amendment about citizenship and another one that empowers him to take control of independent government agencies. He has authorized unelected officials to illegally fire government employees. He has neutered the courts by declaring that the “President and the Attorney General shall provide authoritative interpretations of the law for the executive branch.” Single-handedly, he is trying to eliminate congressionally authorized agencies like USAID and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. He has targeted women, minorities, and others who have historically been marginalized by society.  

As we witnessed last week in his Oval Office meeting with President Zelenskyy, Trump is attacking our longtime allies and is siding with the dictators of the world – the bullies who invade countries and trample the human rights of their own citizens. We are not a perfect nation, but we are the leaders of the free world for a reason. Through blood and treasure, we have fought for and defended democracy worldwide. 

From his wheelchair, Franklin Roosevelt led the fight against Hitler and the forces of fascism. Today, Trump defers on bended knee to the interests of Vladimir Putin. This is what happens when we elect a person who has no respect for or understanding of our democratic institutions. As a bully, Trump is far more interested in exercising power and getting revenge than governing in the American tradition. 

Trump justifies his actions like all bullies do. He claims that the rules don’t apply to him. A few weeks ago, he quoted a statement attributed to the French Emperor Napoleon. "He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.” When a president declares himself above the law, our government of the people is in danger. 

In 1787, when asked if we had created a republic or a monarchy, Benjamin Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” As citizens, it is our moment to stand up to the bully in the White House and those who enable him. We cannot let a man of little character change our national character. If we haven’t done so already, now is the time for each of us to figure out how to use our voices. This is not the time for ambivalence. It may not be our choice to defend our republic, but defend it we must if we want to keep it. 

John H. Taylor is a faculty member at Adams State University. These views are his own and do not reflect those of the university.