STUDENT’S NAME WITHHELD BY REQUEST
English 9/Mr. Davis
Los Alamos High School
Editor’s note: Each year, the Los Alamos Reporter publishes a series of op-eds written by students in Adam Davis’s 9th grade English class to highlight the students’ writing. This is one of those op-eds.
On November 5, 2024, Donald J. Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States. Although he won both the popular and electoral college vote, he should never have been given the opportunity. Because of his role in the January 6th insurrection, Donald Trump should not be allowed to hold office.
After winning the 2016 presidential election, Trump ran again in 2020. Unable to accept his loss, he delivered a speech that instigated a violent insurrection that led to the criminal assault of roughly 140 police officers and the deaths of five people (Duignan). In his speech, he spread lies about a “rigged” election and pressured lawmakers to overrule the results. He then told his supporters to march to the Capitol and “fight like hell,” even saying he would be there with them. When he was forced to stay at the White House, he remained involved, continuing to tweet about the lies that incited the riot (Cohen and Lotz). After it ended, he praised the rioters and attempted to get them pardoned for their charges–even going so far as to describe it as “a day of love.”
The US Constitution states that:
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. (US Const. amend. XIV, sec 3)
According to the US Constitution–also known as the “Supreme Law of the Land”–Trump should not be able to hold office because of his involvement in the insurrection. For him to continue to do so is unconstitutional.
While some may argue that he was acquitted by the state and thus this argument becomes irrelevant, that is a moot point. He may have been acquitted, but this was largely due to the fact that he was no longer president at the time of his impeachment trial. Many who voted to acquit him of charges did so because of this, compounded with the notion that it would be best to move onto greater issues plaguing the nation. For example, one Republican leader who voted to acquit Trump for the aforementioned reason, “condemned the former president as ‘practically and morally responsible’ for the insurrection” (Jalonick et al.). Since his acquittal was a result of his no longer being in office, it needs to be reexamined now that he has returned. Furthermore, it should not be used as evidence in his favor.
In light of his recent re-election, Trump’s actions must once again be brought forth. Not only did he participate in the insurrection, he provided comfort to others who did and attempted to free them. While he may have been acquitted, a great part of it was because he was no longer in office. Given his involvement in the events of January 6, Donald Trump should neither have been permitted to hold office, nor should he be permitted to do so in the future.
Works Cited
Cohen, Marshall, and Avery Lotz. “The January 6 Insurrection: Minute-by-Minute.” CNN, 29 July 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/10/politics/jan-6-us-capitol-riot-timeline/index.html. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.
Duignan, Brian. “January 6 U.S. Capitol Attack: Background, Events, Criminal Charges, & Facts.” Britannica, 22 Nov. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/event/January-6-U-S-Capitol-attack. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.
Jalonick, Mary Clare, et al. “Trump Acquitted, Denounced in Historic Impeachment Trial.” AP News, 13 Feb. 2021, https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.
The United States Constitution, Art. XIV, Sec. 3.