In law, there are many different kinds of 鈥渃ontracts.鈥 But in a democratic republic, certain elements must be part of any contract that is intended to be legal: the parties involved must be honest, clear and fair in what is being offered and agreed to, and neither party can intimidate or coerce the other party.
President Donald Trump鈥檚 modus operandi is nearly always the opposite. That means it is legally 鈥渆xtortion,鈥 Extortion is a serious crime rather than reasonable negotiating. Extortion is the crime of 鈥渙btaining property from another induced by wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence, or fear, or under color of official right.鈥
It usually is used on someone in a weaker or less-advantaged position, which is why many call Trump a 鈥渂ully.鈥 It overrules someone鈥檚 autonomy or power of resistance, often depriving the person, institution of even nation of its self-respect through shaming or defaming them, or removing them from their positions of power, authority or expertise. It intends to force them to do something against their will, either stealing or mutilating what is of value to the other.
During his first term as president, when he wanted to smear Joe Biden before the latter was yet a candidate who might challenge him in the 2020 election, Trump made a 鈥減erfect call鈥 to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, asking Zelenskyy to do him the favor of publicizing some dirt on Biden. Weapons the U.S. had already agreed to furnish Ukraine were implicitly now conditioned on that 鈥渇avor鈥 Trump requested. That is bribery or extortion.
When Trump realized the possible negative effect of the COVID pandemic, he minimized the threat of the virus, saying it would not be around in a couple of weeks. He belittled the expert medical authorities and even made absurd suggestions about how people could by various home remedies get rid of the virus within them.
He demanded that people keep their businesses open, that they not wear masks, that a ship off the West Coast not be allowed to dock since some on the ship had COVID, which might count against him. He insisted that we stop testing people for the virus since that could keep the count down. So people should simply die rather than make Trump look bad?
Many could see the whole procedure was only for his own self-interest. Expert medical authorities such as Dr. Peter Hotez estimated that out of the million-plus American citizens who died by the pandemic, the administration鈥檚 indifference to the virus cost the U.S. at least 200,000 unnecessary deaths. People have learned they will be punished as Trump鈥檚 鈥渆nemies鈥 if they refuse to do exactly what he wants, and many have been punished since his re-election in 2024.
This is true since Trump continually boasts of his control of our superior army, weapons or wealth. He uses the Department of Justice to make them yield, using vile name-calling, insisting that he can literally do anything he wants to any individual, institution or nation. He can relish the 鈥渉onor鈥 or 鈥減leasure鈥 of 鈥渢aking them鈥 whether it is a sexual forcing or a national military invasion 鈥 whether it is Cuba, Iran, Greenland, Venezuela or the women鈥檚 dressing room.
Asked once if he had any 鈥渞estraints,鈥 he replied not any laws, but only his 鈥渕orality鈥 and 鈥渕ind.鈥 We have long known that those are geared only to his quest for more pleasure, power and wealth.
Unfortunately, the Supreme Court鈥檚 evasive remanding of the 鈥渋mmunity鈥 decision to decide what would qualify as 鈥渙fficial acts鈥 led Trump to think he could do anything as an 鈥渆xecutive order.鈥 But unlawful extortion under the 鈥渃olor of official right," is still a crime. Despite his violation of the Constitution or national and international laws, he thinks only he can decide who deserves to be killed, pardoned, investigated, rewarded.
He initiated the second year of his second term in office at the World Economic Forum under obvious intoxication from his power. He managed to insult most nations endlessly with veiled but stupid threats. He now brags that he has more power than ever before. He has a shrinking base and GOP federal legislators that would rather keep their offices and benefits than their integrity.
Those who need confirmation of his extortion being 鈥渃riminal鈥 should read 18 USC Ch 41 (called The Hobbs Act of 1951) as well as various national and state law penalties, including restitution and from one to 30 years in prison for the convicted extorter.
For those who have less power or money than Trump, intimidation, fear and mob-boss tactics suffice so that he often need not even explicitly threaten. But he has recently reverted to grossly vile, presumptuous and ignorant threats that most people would never tolerate from a head of their state. These have alienated many people such as U.S. voters, members of NATO, leaders in Iran, experts in science, medicine or law.
He has used the Department of Justice to 鈥渋nvestigate鈥 and bring specious charges against anyone he thinks is inferior to himself or anyone he recognizes has expertise or knowledge is far beyond his small, narcissistic comprehension. This is why everything he does he claims is something no other president, or anyone in the world, could ever do. He wants his picture, statue and name everywhere, especially for his unbelievable ballroom.
He seems most envious when the others are exemplary moral leaders and experts in their fields. So he belittles Pope Leo, Jerome Powell, John McCain, James Comey, Mark Kelly, Jack Smith, Robert Mueller and especially former presidents such as Barack Obama.
How many have died directly or indirectly as a result of his actions? Do his GOP legislators not realize they are 鈥渃omplicit鈥 in his perpetual extortion by their silence and failure to follow the Constitution rather than him?
