Congressional Inaction and the Cost of Unchecked Power

In his January 8 interview with The New York Times, President Trump stated—without apparent irony—that the only limit on his power is his “own morality” and “own mind.” That claim should alarm Americans not because it is provocative, but because repeated inaction by Congress has made it true.

In the interview, the President dismissed international law, minimized Congress’s war powers, justified unilateral military action, and responded to video of an ICE officer killing a U.S. citizen with divisive rhetoric rather than restraint or accountability. When asked what constrains him, he answered plainly: nothing beyond personal judgment.

That is not how a constitutional system is supposed to work.

The President’s own words make clear that escalation is not accidental. When an executive believes his authority is constrained only by personal discretion, congressional silence is not neutral—it is enabling. At that point, failure to act is no longer passive. It crosses the line from negligence to complicity.

The framers did not rely on presidential self-restraint to protect liberty. They assigned Congress the duty of oversight, enforcement, and accountability when state power causes harm. That duty now requires more than statements and hearings. It requires action with consequences.

Citizens have a role to play. We should demand that our senators and representatives reassert Congress’s constitutional authority, enforce meaningful oversight, and hold the President accountable. And we should support candidates—of any party—who demonstrate a genuine commitment to the rule of law rather than loyalty to unchecked power.

Unchecked presidential authority is not inevitable. It persists only when Congress—and the public—allows it to.