The Darkest Hour of Democracy

My Threat-Informed Defense newsletter has focused on external threats—the cyber and geopolitical forces that seek to destabilize our critical infrastructure, economy, and national security. But what happens when the greatest threat comes from within?

I never imagined I’d be writing about the erosion of our own democratic guardrails—the very system designed to prevent unchecked power. Yet here we are.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about the fundamental structure of our republic—three co-equal branches of government, each meant to keep the others in check. That system only works if it’s respected.

This week, we saw clear warnings that those guardrails are being tested like never before. If we ignore them, we risk losing the very principles that make America what it is.

The last month has laid bare the most dangerous test of our democracy in modern history. The U.S. Constitution was built on a fundamental principle: three co-equal branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial—each serving as a check on the other.

But that system doesn’t work if one branch refuses to acknowledge its limits. It fails when a president acts like a king and when the judiciary bends to political influence instead of interpreting law. It collapses when Congress chooses party loyalty over accountability.

The last guardrails are being tested. The question is, will they hold?

Power Without Limits

This past week, the President openly dismissed checks on executive power, with statements suggesting that the presidency is above legal interpretation—a clear signal that we are no longer debating policy but the fundamental structure of our republic.

• The executive branch does not interpret the law—that is the role of the judiciary.
• The president is not a king—Congress has the power to legislate and override executive overreach.
• The judicial branch must remain independent—not a rubber stamp for partisan interests.

But what happens when these principles are ignored? What happens when one branch consolidates power while the other two shrink back?

History has answered that question before—and the results are never good.

The Crumbling of Checks and Balances

Democracies don’t end overnight. They erode slowly, often with the illusion of legitimacy. Power consolidates through legal loopholes, executive orders, and a court system increasingly aligned with the executive.

• When the executive branch undermines the judiciary, laws become weapons, wielded against political enemies while shielding those in power.
• When Congress refuses to act as a check on the president, legislative oversight becomes meaningless, and laws are rewritten to serve the few.
• When the press is weakened and silenced, the public loses its ability to make informed decisions, instead consuming curated narratives designed to mislead and distract.

The result? A government that serves itself, not its people.

Where Do We Go from Here?

America stands at a crossroads. We can either continue down a path where power is centralized, where laws are interpreted based on political convenience, and where dissent is stifled—or we can push back.

What does that look like?

• Read the Constitution of the United States of America.
• Demand accountability – Congress must reaffirm its constitutional duty, regardless of party lines. Engage your representative, engage your senator. We witnessed the restoration of the 9/11 Health Fund because people engaged their representatives.
• Protect the judiciary’s independence – Judges must uphold the law, not serve political interests. Demand that elected officials respect judicial decisions rather than threaten to retaliate against judges. Educate yourself and others on how the judiciary is supposed to function—many Americans don’t fully understand its role.
• Supporting investigative journalism – The free press must remain an uncompromising watchdog, not a mouthpiece for power.
• Resisting political apathy – The erosion of democracy happens when people assume it can’t happen here. Mobilize.

The United States has survived wars, economic collapse, and constitutional crises before—but only because people stood up when it mattered most.

This is one of those moments.