We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the damage Donald Trump has done to our democracy, our institutions, and our communities across both of his presidential terms to date. We believe his actions have repeatedly undermined core American values, the rule of law, and basic human rights, and we therefore call on elected officials, party leaders, and fellow citizens to firmly oppose his continued hold on power and any future candidacy.

1. Attacks on democracy and the rule of law
Donald Trump has consistently undermined trust in free and fair elections. He has:

• Falsely claimed widespread voter fraud in 2016 and especially 2020, without credible evidence.
• Pressured state officials, including the Georgia Secretary of State, to “find” votes and overturn certified results.
• Refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power and then actively tried to overturn the 2020 election outcome.
• Played a central role in the events of January 6, 2021, where his rhetoric and actions contributed to a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol, leading to his second impeachment for “incitement of insurrection.”
• Habitually attacked judges, prosecutors, the FBI, and the intelligence community whenever investigations or rulings did not favor him, eroding public trust in independent institutions.
• Abused the pardon power to shield political allies and those who lied or obstructed on his behalf.

2. Mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic
During one of the gravest public health crises in modern history, Trump:

• Publicly downplayed the severity of COVID-19 while privately acknowledging its danger.
• Undermined public health experts, spread misinformation about treatments, and mocked basic protective measures such as mask-wearing.
• Politicized critical health guidance, turning life-and-death decisions into partisan wedges.
• Presided over a federal response widely criticized as chaotic, slow, and inconsistent, leaving states and hospitals to compete for essential supplies.

3. Human rights abuses in immigration policy
Trump’s administration pursued harsh, often cruel immigration policies, including:

• A discriminatory ban targeting several Muslim-majority countries, known as the “Muslim ban.”
• A “zero tolerance” policy that systematically separated thousands of children from their parents at the U.S.–Mexico border, with inadequate tracking that made reunification difficult.
• Policies forcing asylum seekers to wait in dangerous conditions in Mexico and using public health laws (Title 42) to rapidly expel migrants without due process.
• Dehumanizing rhetoric toward immigrants and refugees that fueled xenophobia and hate.

4. Encouraging division, racism, and extremism
Rather than working to unite the country, Trump has repeatedly inflamed divisions by:

• Responding to white supremacist violence in Charlottesville by saying there were “very fine people on both sides,” instead of unequivocally condemning neo-Nazis and white supremacists.
• Using inflammatory language during Black Lives Matter and racial justice protests, including rhetoric that appeared to condone violence against protesters.
• Failing, on multiple occasions, to clearly denounce white supremacist and extremist groups, at times seeming to signal encouragement instead.

5. Undermining environmental protection and climate action
At a time when climate change demands urgent action, Trump has:

• Withdrawn the United States from the Paris Agreement, weakening global efforts to tackle climate change.
• Rolled back critical environmental protections, including rules on power plant emissions, vehicle fuel efficiency, methane leaks, and protections for wetlands and waterways.
• Repeatedly dismissed or mocked climate science, discouraging needed preparation for and mitigation of climate impacts.

6. Damaging alliances and empowering authoritarians
In foreign policy, Trump:

• Frequently praised authoritarian leaders—including Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un—while attacking democratic allies and U.S. institutions.
• Publicly sided with Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies regarding Russian interference in American elections.
• Abruptly abandoned allies, such as Kurdish forces in Syria, in ways widely condemned by military and foreign policy experts.
• Launched trade wars, especially with China, that harmed American farmers, workers, and consumers without delivering clear structural gains.

7. Corruption, self-dealing, and erosion of ethical norms
Trump has repeatedly blurred or broken ethical boundaries by:

• Refusing to fully divest from his businesses and allowing his properties to profit from official events and foreign delegations, which raises serious Emoluments Clause concerns.
• Using the White House and other federal resources for overtly political events, such as segments of the 2020 Republican National Convention.
• Maintaining a record-breaking turnover of senior officials, filling key roles with “acting” appointees who lacked Senate confirmation and stability.
• Making an unprecedented volume of false or misleading public statements, eroding public trust in the presidency and in factual discourse.
• Pressuring the Department of Justice and prosecutors in cases involving his allies and critics, undermining the independence of law enforcement.

8. Harmful domestic policies and social safety net decisions
Domestically, Trump has:

• Pushed repeatedly to dismantle the Affordable Care Act without a clear and credible replacement plan, threatening coverage and protections for millions.
• Signed a tax bill that overwhelmingly benefited corporations and the wealthy, increased deficits, and failed to deliver the promised broad-based wage growth.
• Weakened enforcement of civil rights and consumer protections, particularly within education and oversight of for-profit colleges, leaving vulnerable communities more exposed to abuse and exploitation.

9. Ongoing legal and ethical crises
Beyond his time in office, Trump’s conduct has continued to raise serious alarm:

• He has been charged with mishandling highly classified documents and obstructing efforts to retrieve them.
• He faces criminal charges tied to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including schemes involving fake electors and pressure on election officials.
• His businesses and personal conduct have been found liable in several civil cases, reinforcing a long pattern of ethical and legal violations.

10. Illegal abduction of a foreign head of state
In January 2026, Donald Trump ordered a unilateral U.S. military strike on Venezuela that resulted in the forcible capture and transfer of Nicolás Maduro, the de jure president of Venezuela, to the United States to stand trial. This operation:

• Was conducted without the consent of the Venezuelan state and without authorization from the United Nations Security Council.
• Has been widely criticized by international-law experts as a likely violation of Article 2(4) of the U.N. Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state except in self‑defense.
• Represents an unprecedented extra‑territorial abduction of a sitting foreign head of state by U.S. forces, further eroding respect for international law and setting a dangerous precedent other countries could invoke to justify similar actions.

By unilaterally using military force to seize a foreign leader on that leader’s own soil—outside of any extradition process, international tribunal, or multilateral legal framework—Donald Trump has not only endangered U.S. credibility abroad but also normalized lawless behavior at the highest level of U.S. government.

This isn’t abstract. My school orchestra’s exchange with kids from Germany was canceled because German families are scared their kids might get stopped at the U.S. border over some old social media post or demand for DNA testing. German students. They don't even live here, and they're still scared of the administration.

Trump's actions represent not isolated mistakes, but a dangerous pattern: contempt for democratic norms, disregard for the rule of law, willingness to inflame hatred and violence, and a consistent prioritization of personal power and profit over the public good.
For these reasons, we, the undersigned, demand that:

• Elected officials of both parties publicly acknowledge the harm caused by Donald Trump’s actions and refuse to support him for any public office.
• Political parties reject his candidacy and deny him the platforms and resources of their organizations.
• Law enforcement and the justice system continue to pursue accountability for all of his crimes and abuses of power, without fear or favor.
• News organizations and social media platforms resist normalizing his anti-democratic behavior and instead provide clear, factual coverage of his record.

For GOP leaders/party officials: refuse to endorse, fund, or nominate him.
For election officials: strictly apply and enforce all relevant laws neutrally.
For DOJ/prosecutors: pursue cases to their legal conclusion, independent of politics.

We sign this petition to affirm that no individual is above the law, that democracy must be defended, and that the United States deserves leadership committed to truth, equality, human rights, and the peaceful transfer of power.