Press Release

AFT’s Weingarten on Donald Trump’s Unhinged Call to Suspend the U.S. Constitution

For Release:

Contact:

Andrew Crook
o: 202-393-8637 | c: 607-280-6603
acrook@aft.org

WASHINGTON—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten issued the following statement after former President Donald Trump demanded the termination of the United States Constitution to annul the results of the 2020 election and return himself to power:

“Donald Trump is a danger to the republic. Since he announced his 2024 presidential bid, he’s defended sedition, dined with antisemites and white supremacists, and now declared the Constitution null and void.

“His behavior isn’t merely foolish or erratic, it’s a threat to our country’s very foundations. It flies in the face of laws that govern our way of life and the norms that guarantee we can all live in a free society.

“The president takes an oath of office to ‘preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.’ Every president, including Trump, has sworn the oath upon taking office. His call to disavow it is the musing of a power-hungry autocrat whose complete disregard for the rule of law should terrify every one of us.

“These rantings are cut from the same cloth as his actions on Jan. 6, 2021, when it’s become increasingly clear he and his acolytes organized and incited a terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol to prevent the peaceful transfer of power in violation of the people's choice in a free and fair election.

“By these latest words and deeds, Trump shows himself once again to be completely unfit to serve in any elected office of the United States.”

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The AFT represents 1.8 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.