Donald Trump Is the First Convicted Felon to Become U.S. President
Donald Trump Is the First Convicted Felon to Become U.S. President
With Trump’s inauguration, a new authoritative era begins in world politics dominated by Trump as the U.S. President.
By Rakesh Raman
Donald Trump of the Republican party was sworn in as the U.S. President on January 20, 2025 for his second non-consecutive term. Trump is the first convicted felon to become the 47th President replacing Democrat incumbent Joe Biden.
After his first stint as the U.S. President from 2017 to 2021, Trump won the presidential election again by defeating his Democratic rival Kamala Harris. Trump, 78, occupies the White House again as he has secured more than the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the election that took place on November 5, 2024.
After surviving an assassination attempt at an election rally in July 2024, Trump gained more sympathy among the voters which helped him defeat Harris easily in the election.
Trump proved time and again that he is above the law and the weak American judiciary cannot hold him accountable for his countless crimes. The American laws have, in fact, succumbed to Trump’s blatant refusal to obey them in multiple cases that he has been facing.
The select committee that was formed to investigate Trump’s involvement in the violent riots on January 6, 2021 accused him of four crimes, including an attempt of insurrection with the aim to subvert the transfer of presidential power to Biden who had won the presidential election in 2020.
According to a Reuters report of November 6, 2024, Trump has been impeached twice, criminally indicted four times, and found guilty of sexual abuse and defamation.
In May 2024, according to Reuters, Trump was convicted by a New York jury of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to a porn star. Still he was allowed to run for election that he won comfortably.
After taking charge, Trump signed a slew of executive orders and revoked 78 decisions of the previous Biden administration. He granted pardon to 1,500 people charged in the U.S. Capitol riot of January 6, 2021 and ordered the U.S. to withdraw from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Trump also said his initial orders aim to curb illegal immigration, increase fossil fuel production, and roll back environmental regulations including the 2021 Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
In his inaugural address, Trump declared illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border a national emergency and announced plans to invoke the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to target foreign gang members in the U.S. This legal authority was earlier used during World War II to detain noncitizens of Japanese, German, and Italian descent in internment camps.
With Trump’s inauguration, a new authoritative era begins in world politics dominated by Trump as the U.S. President.
By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of the humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.
