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📢 No "Art of the Deal" — Only the Art of Lawlessness: Trump's Assault on the Constitution, Our Troops, and the American People episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 14, 2025 · 6 MIN

📢 No "Art of the Deal" — Only the Art of Lawlessness: Trump's Assault on the Constitution, Our Troops, and the American People

from Power to the People Podcast · host Laurie Woodward Garcia and People Power United

People Power United is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Donald Trump wrote The Art of the Deal to sell the image of a master negotiator. However, no amount of ghostwritten bravado can cover up the plain truth: Trump has no deal-making abilities. Worse, he's proving now that he has no respect for the law, the courts, or the Constitution he swore to uphold. His refusal to comply with the Supreme Court's order to return Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia — a Maryland father wrongfully deported to a foreign prison — exposes the dangerous fraud at the heart of his so-called leadership. When the president refuses to obey the law and no one holds him accountable, we have dictatorship. - Keith Boykin The possibility of arbitrary imprisonment by a sovereign, resulting in imprisonment abroad, is one criterion separating democracies from dictatorships. - Robert Reich This is what fascism looks like in real time: calling a wrongfully deported man a terrorist, claiming the power to strip American citizens of their rights, and floating the use of foreign prison camps as a solution to so-called “crime.” If they can do it to him, they can do it to any of us. - Brett Meiselas MeidasTouch Network Trump is not a dealmaker. He is a deal-breaker — breaking the fundamental deal that binds us all: the rule of law. In America, no president is above the law. Courts issue rulings and the executive branch is bound to follow them. This is Civics 101. Yet, Trump has chosen to spit on this foundational principle, treating the Supreme Court as a mere inconvenience rather than a co-equal branch of government. Despite the Court's clear and unanimous ruling, Trump has defied orders to return Mr. Abrego Garcia while lying to the American people, claiming it is "impractical" or "impossible" to comply. This is nonsense. Previous administrations have returned wrongfully deported individuals, without issue. The truth is simple: Trump won't do it. And while he defies our courts, Trump is doing something even more dangerous. He is planning mass arrests, mass deportations, and possibly the deployment of National Guard troops under federal command (Title 10 authority) to terrorize our communities. He is using the language of a dictator, threatening to crush states and cities that resist his unlawful orders and demanding governors fall in line with his authoritarian agenda. He is holding our states hostage, treating our people as enemies of the state for simply demanding our constitutional rights. Let's be clear: what Trump is doing is not just a policy disagreement — it is a betrayal of every American who has worn the uniform, every family who has sacrificed for this country, and every citizen who believes in the promise of democracy. He is mocking our communities by dragging us into an illegal war against our own people. Trump's twisted vision doesn't stop at our borders. He's not just deporting asylum seekers — he's plotting to deport U.S. citizens. American citizens. There are active discussions inside his administration about denaturalizing Americans and shipping them to El Salvador's notorious mega-prisons, a move so brazenly unconstitutional it defies belief. He wants to build an Amazon-style mass deportation machine, treating human beings like packages to be sorted and discarded. This is not hypothetical. Trump has already shown us exactly how far he will go. Kilmar Abrego Garcia was wrongly deported, an "administrative error," they claim — but then they chose not to fix it. Instead, they doubled down. Trump and his thugs like Marco Rubio and Stephen Miller falsely branded Mr. Abrego Garcia as a terrorist despite having no evidence, charges, or convictions. They manufactured fear to justify lawlessness. If they can do this to Kilmar, they can do it to any of us. The Constitution is under siege. Trump is not merely ignoring the law; he is actively dismantling the very architecture of our democracy. He is creating a forever war on America itself, turning our laws and troops against our own people while cozying up to foreign strongmen like El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele, who parrots Trump's abdication of responsibility and refuses to return our fellow American resident to his family. But we are not powerless. We, the people, must act. We must show up, speak out, and build power. We must refuse to be governed by fear. We must defend our Constitution from those burning it to ash in pursuit of personal power. Donald Trump may have written The Art of the Deal, but he has no deal for America. He has only schemes for power, cruelty, and chaos. And he has no place in a country governed by laws, not kings. Just the facts The Administration has admitted to wrongfully deporting Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia—tearing him from his family and sending him to a jungle prison in El Salvador. The Supreme Court has issued a clear directive: bring him home immediately. In the United States, the president is not a king. Our government cannot secretly detain people, skip the courts, and exile them to foreign prisons. That’s exactly what happened to Abrego Garcia—and it violates everything our Constitution stands for. The rights that protect Kilmar Abrego Garcia from arbitrary detention and deportation are the same rights that protect every single American. If the government can ignore the courts for him, they can ignore the courts for any of us. Due process is not a suggestion—it’s a constitutional guarantee. The fact that this Administration acknowledges it deported an innocent man without proper judicial review should alarm us all. The Trump administration recently intervened to secure the return of right-wing influencer Andrew Tate and his brother from Romania, despite the fact that they were facing charges of human trafficking, money laundering, and rape. This case reveals what happens when legal checks and balances are ignored. An innocent man was sent to a jungle prison. The path to justice starts now: the Administration must comply with the Supreme Court’s ruling and bring Kilmar Abrego Garcia home—immediately. Together, we can Resist and Champion Freedom Over Fascism Every day, let’s take 5+ quick, powerful actions — and reach out to 10 people, in person or online, to grow our movement and multiply our impact. Together, our daily actions build unstoppable momentum! The time to act is now — before it is too late. * Click here to Hold Trump in Contempt * Call your member of Congress at (202) 224-3121 and ask them to speak out and advocate for the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia from El Salvador. * Click here to send a message to your member of Congress to advocate for the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia from El Salvador. * Click here to restack and ❤️ this People Power message * Click here to Urge Religious Leaders Nationwide to Stand Up and tell the TRUTH about immigrants * Click here to watch this outstanding commentary piece by Brian Tyler Cohen * Click here to support our People Power United efforts by upgrading or gifting a subscription to someone you know * Click here to subscribe to our People Power United YouTube channel * Click here to Tell Congress: Don’t Undermine the Judicial Branch * Click here to Free Rumeysa Ozturk: No one who writes an op-ed should be arrested, detained, or deported for expressing their free speech point of view. * Click here to signup for our next event: Rapid Response for Our Freedoms Rise Up Looking to take action? Here’s a list of event calendars to help you find rallies, protests, and community actions near you. Please keep in mind: People Power United doesn’t verify or officially endorse these events — we’re sharing them as tools for your research and organizing. Dive in, explore, and get involved where it feels right for you! * Fighting Oligarchy Tour with Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez * Mobilize * 50501 * Freedom Over Fascism * 50501 Mobilize * No Voice Unheard * Tesla Takedown * Movement Infrastructure Project Thanks for taking action! People Power United Updates Our group is growing by leaps and bounds! Folks understand that with love in our hearts and hard work, we will reclaim our nation from cruelty, chaos, and confusion. We are having fun making impactful changes in our community! In case you missed it, this past week was busy: * People Power United joins coalition efforts to pass Medicare for All * We sent out several updates and news briefs. You’re Invited: Rapid Response for Our Freedoms Join us for "Rapid Response for Our Freedoms", a crucial event where we stand as one to defend democracy, uphold the rule of law, and safeguard the rights and freedoms we all hold dear. Click here for more details or to signup. This is our moment to rise up for an America that includes everyone when we say "liberty and justice for all," not just the wealthy and powerful. People Power Signs are Available! We can inspire voters and make a meaningful difference by championing our values, rights, and freedoms. Click here for more information. ✨ Together we can inspire change! People Power United is a grassroots group of over 250,000+ members in all 50 states-powered by people like YOU. We champion progress and power to the people. We believe in change because we make change happen. Here’s what makes us special:💡 Grassroots energy: No fundraising, no constant emails asking for donations.📢 Impact through action: We believe in the possibility of change and do the work to make it happen. We don’t just complain, we make change happen! In this community, we will never stay silent in the face of hate or bigotry. We stand up and speak out against racism, xenophobia, islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, misogyny, sexism, ageism, ableism, sizeism, elitism, transphobia, misogynoir, and every form of discrimination that seeks to divide and harm. We believe: * Everyone deserves dignity —with access to housing, healthcare, and education. * Everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive — regardless of age, race, sex, sexual preference, preferred pronouns, religion, or employment status. * Everyone deserves safety—clean air and water, and communities free from gun violence. Join us to build People Power! Together, we can protect and empower those we love, champion our rights, freedoms, and democracy, hold our leaders accountable to the people's will, and inspire voters to make a meaningful difference. The power is in your hands. Let’s fight for freedom over fascism—because our future depends on it. Join the crew 🗽People Power United is a grassroots group of over 250,000+ members in all 50 states powered by people like YOU. We champion progress and power to the people. Be part of a community of people who share your interests. People Power United Subscriber benefits include: * Free Subscription: The newsletter is free. * Monthly or Annual Subscriber: Ability to comment and engage with all posts. Access to archives and subscriber chats. * Founding Member: A permanent paid subscription. We are deeply grateful for your support. Together we can champion Progress and Power to the People Join us to build People Power! Together, we can champion our rights, freedoms, and democracy, hold our leaders accountable to the people's will, and inspire voters to make a meaningful difference. Laurie Woodward Garcia (paid with hugs and kisses, not bought by special interests) Leader, People Power United Representing America's largest grassroots organization with over 250,000+ members, driven entirely by the energy and commitment of everyday people. We are proudly 100% independent, powered by people—not special interests. People Power United | In this community, we will always speak out against racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, antisemitism, homophobia, misogyny, sexism, ageism, ableism, sizeism, elitism, transphobia, misogynoir, and bigotry! People Power United is a group of community members that champions progress and power for the people. People Power United is a reader-supported publication. ​If you love the work we do and want to support, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newsletter.peoplepowerunited.org/subscribe

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📢 No "Art of the Deal" — Only the Art of Lawlessness: Trump's Assault on the Constitution, Our Troops, and the American People

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