From Conviction to President

By Johanna Zamano

Donald Trump needs to be stopped and shouldn't even be president. (Photo from NBC News).

Having a convicted felon run the great country we call America is disappointing. President Trump has violated laws in the very country he leads, and it is outrageous.

In the 2024 election, Trump should not have been allowed to run. He is a convicted felon. Kamala Harris was a way better candidate. Harris served on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, was the first female black attorney general in California history, worked to protect national security, and, most importantly, has never been convicted of a crime.

Trump has not been out of the media. He constantly tweets updates on X, formerly known as Twitter. He has been involved in multiple criminal cases, including his impeachment cases.

During his presidency, he has faced impeachment twice by the U.S. House of Representatives. On December 18, 2019, he faced his initial impeachment, being accused of abuse of power (for supposedly pressuring Ukraine to look into Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, in return for military assistance and a visit to the White House) and obstruction of Congress (for declining to cooperate with the House's investigation). He was acquitted on February 5, 2020. The second impeachment occurred on January 13, 2021, when he was accused of inciting insurrection (for provoking the January 6 Capitol riot by urging his supporters to challenge the 2020 election results and march to the Capitol).

It’s tough to understand why there are so many Trump supporters in the U.S. when this man thinks he is above the law, thinking he can get away with anything that goes against achieving his goal. It’s time that he just gives up. 

Trump intends to fulfill the 20 promises he made on his campaign website during his presidency to “Make America Great Again." Those promises helped him get supporters. For years, he has been the top representative for the Republican Party, but I still don’t understand why.

Before this election, Trump won the 2016 presidential election. His slogan was "Make America Great Again,” and he gained the support of many Americans. After his first term, there were many controversies concerning his leadership and presidency, and he committed crimes that he thought he could get away with.

Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying company records in the Hush Money Case on May 30, 2024, his first conviction as of April 2025. His involvement in a plot to conceal a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign led to his conviction in Manhattan criminal court. If it were any other president, they would be jailed, but on January 10, 2025, Judge Juan Merchan sentenced Trump to an unconditional discharge.

This meant no imprisonment, fine, or probation supervision. Trump has been indicted in other criminal cases; however, as of now, those cases have not resulted in convictions.

The federal indictment of classified documents was filed on June 8, 2023. The grand jury brought 40 felony counts against Trump relating to the mishandling of classified documents, including unlawful retention of national defense information and obstruction of justice after his first presidency. He was indicted on July 27, 2023.

The federal case on election interference on August 1, 2023, was Trump's way of trying to overturn his 2020 election losses, which then led to the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C.

The Election Interference Case in Georgia State: Trump and 18 other individuals were charged on August 14, 2023, under Georgia's RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act for allegedly attempting to void the state's 2020 election results. The charges included impersonating a public authority, making false claims, and conspiring to conduct forgeries. A phone call on January 2, 2021, in which Trump urged Georgia officials to "find 11,780 votes" served as the basis for the indictment. Trump entered a not guilty plea, and some of his co-defendants subsequently made plea deals.

After committing multiple crimes, an ordinary citizen would struggle to find employment at even a fast-food restaurant, let alone be allowed to lead a nation.

As Commander in Chief, the President of the United States should prioritize the well-being of the American people over personal ambition and self-interest. Like every citizen, he must be held to the law, not placed above it.

The Trump Administration is a circus, and Trump has misrepresented the people who deserve the harmony and tranquility of being respected in the United States of America and the remainder of the World. 

He should never have been allowed to become president again.