President Donald J. Trump’s first term in office included many accomplishments. The economy was strong, the border was secure, America was energy independent, and the world was a much safer place. While these and other accomplishments made America a wonderful place to live, Trump’s biggest and most important accomplishment was his decision to fight back against the politicized indictments brought against him by a weaponized Department of Justice and various left-wing prosecutors.
Charles Augustus Lindbergh, an American aviator, author, and military officer, once said, “Success is not measured by what a man accomplishes, but by the opposition he has encountered and the courage with which he has maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds.”
While Lindbergh made this comment long before Trump was even in the picture, his words are particularly meaningful today. After all, no former president has ever been indicted on four separate occasions while running for reelection. While it is now abundantly clear there the indictments were all politically motivated, Trump still had to withstand the consistent and unrelenting onslaught that consisted of embarrassing, personal, and inaccurate allegations/testimony, the frightening possibility of sitting through one or more criminal trials in mostly hostile jurisdictions and in front of most anti-Trump judges, and the prospect of spending the rest of his life behind bars.
Despite the incredible odds Trump faced, and the serious risks posed by one or more possible convictions, Trump stood strong and pushed back against these indictments, ultimately securing a voluntary dismissal of the case in Washington, D.C. and a decision to drop the appeal in the classified records case against Trump – a Florida case that was previously dismissed by federal Judge Aileen Cannon. While several state cases remain, those, too, are on life-support and do not appear to be going anywhere anytime soon given Trump’s recent and overwhelming election victory.
Trump’s toughness and grit, and his willingness and financial ability to fight back against these politicized indictments (and win!), should go down as one of his most important and noteworthy accomplishments. In refusing to buckle under the immense pressure and the potential personal risks, including incarceration, Trump not only defended himself, but also protected, and saved, the rule of law, the Constitution, and various constitutional rights, all of which could have been severely curtailed by way of dangerous precedent and an out-of-control administration.
Had the indictments succeeded, they would have opened the door to criminalizing conduct that is presumably legal and/or constitutionally protected by “creating” crimes and pursuing criminal charges in jurisdictions where a favorable result is most likely. They would have curtailed the freedom to speak freely and/or to question the results of an election, as Americans would undoubtedly refrain from speaking out and would simply accept certain things as gospel for fear of prosecution.
Along these same lines, Americans would have to carefully tiptoe around the question of what constitutes permissible and impermissible speech. For example, could anyone, including state legislatures and/or attorneys, challenge or contest the results of an election and, if so, how? Tangentially, could attorneys feel confident that their communications with their client(s) would remain protected pursuant to the attorney-client relationship or would left-wing prosecutors and/or judges ignore this when it fits a specific narrative? Finally, would attorneys have to worry about losing their license or facing possible indictment simply because they rendered creative and thoughtful legal advice in good faith?
These questions and concerns are not hypothetical in nature. To the contrary, too many people have already tragically suffered one or more of the consequences set forth above, including indictments, time behind bars, and/or the loss of their professional license(s).
President Trump will be remembered as one of the greatest American presidents. He made America a great and prosperous place to live for all Americans and created a powerful movement that will never again be replicated.
However, one of his most notable accomplishments will be his decision to fight back against the dangerous and politicized indictments lodged against him. In doing so, he maintained law and order, prevented dangerous court-created precedent, protected Americans from falling victim to a weaponized justice system and politicized indictments, defended the freedom to speak out against injustice or various wrongs, and protected the Constitution and the rule of law.
Trump persevered despite significant opposition and overwhelming odds. He deserves our overwhelming support and gratitude.
Mr. Hakim is an attorney and columnist. His articles have been published in The Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, The Federalist, Townhall, Write Revolution News, and other online publications. He has also appeared on OANN’s Tipping Point, Newsmax, Steadfast and Loyal Podcast with Allen West, and Real America’s Voice. The views expressed herein are the author’s own and do not constitute legal advice.