Trump is still a threat to our democracy!
Feb 25, 2026
Donald Trump should not have been delivering the State of the Union last night. He should’ve been in prison for attempting a coup after the 2020 election and inciting the Jan. 6 terrorist attack. We all know that.
But Trump speaking Tuesday in the very chamber he sent his MAGA terrorists to attack on Jan. 6 is made even more atrocious given that two other democratic nations have recently sentenced their leaders to long prison sentences for similar actions.
First, there is Trump’s good friend, former Brazilian leader Jair Bolsonaro who plotted in 2022 to remain in power despite losing his own re-election. Bolsonaro’s illegal scheme included plans to kill then President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Vice President-elect Geraldo Alckmin and a top judge. However, he failed to get the backing of the army and air force commanders.
That is when like Trump he turned to Plan B—which was having his supporters storm the Capitol to prevent the transfer of power.
In Brazil, authorities moved swiftly to send a message that attempts to end their nation’s democracy would not be tolerated. Just seven months after his coup attempt, Bolsonaro was barred by the courts from seeking office until 2030. That removed him from the world of politics.
Bolsonaro was later charged with crimes in connection with his coup attempt. Like Trump, he slammed the investigation as a “witch hunt.” At his trial, the Supreme Court found that the rioters had been incited by Bolsonaro, whose plan was for the military to step in and return him to power. He was rightfully convicted.
In response, Trump and his Secretary of State Marco Rubio threatened Brazil’s government if they dared imprison Trump’s close friend and like-minded aspiring tyrant. In fact, during Bolsonaro’s trial, Trump imposed a 50% tariff on goods from Brazil’s expressly to punish the government for its “politically motivated persecution” of Bolsonaro.
But the leaders in Brazil were undeterred in protecting their democracy. That is why Bolsonaro currently sitting in a prison cell where he will serve for 27 years. In other words, the rest of his life given he’s 70 years old. That is how a nation sends a message to all that if you attempt to end our democracy, this will be your fate.
Same goes for South Korea, where just last week former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was found guilty of leading an insurrection and sentenced to life in prison. In Yoon’s case, he sent the military in December 2024 to surround the National Assembly and imposed martial law where he suspended political activities, took control of the media and publications and allowed arrests without warrants. (This is Trump’s dream.)
Yoon claimed he was taking these extreme measures to protect the country from “anti-state” forces that sympathized with North Korea. He even declared his actions were intended “to protect the freedom and sovereignty of the people and to preserve the nation and its constitution.”
That was a lie. The reality was Yoon was driven by domestic troubles given the opposition party held a parliamentary majority, leaving him a lame duck president. In addition, his wife was the center of various corruption allegations that he wanted to block.
After being formally removed from office in April 2025, Yoon was swiftly charged and held in prison since July pending his trial. And just last week, Yoon was convicted of masterminding an “insurrection” by trying to impose military rule. He was sentenced to life in prison. In addition, former prime minister Han Duck-soo was handed a 23-year jail term for his part in the insurrection, while ex-defense minister Kim Yong-hyun, who advised Yoon to impose martial law, was jailed for 30 years.
As the chief justice stated at the time of sentencing of Yoon, his actions fundamentally damaged South Korea’s democracy and deserves a harsh punishment. Despite this reality, huge crowds of Yoon’s supporters gathered outside the court hours during the hearing–holding banners reading: “Yoon, again.” Many even broke down in tears following the verdict.
That is no different than how the GOP has treated Trump. Despite his clear efforts to end our Republic, they still chanted at rally after rally in the years after his attempted coup, “Trump!”
During his State of the Union on Tuesday, Trump had the audacity to claim Democrats “want to cheat” in our elections, adding, “They have cheated.” He even pretended to care about our elections saying he wants to ensure “voting in our sacred American elections” is protected. This coming from a man convicted of 34 felonies for falsifying business records to cheat in the 2016 election and who was charged with numerous felonies for attempting a coup after the 2020 election!
When you look at Brazil and South Korea, those nations leaders are sending a clear message that if you attempt a coup, you will die in a prison cell. In the United States, the message is that if you are rich and powerful you can attempt a coup, traffic women and even rape children. I ask you which nation looks like banana Republic?!
