Constitution Day: 5 Times Trump Accused Of Violating Principles

Sept. 17 marks Constitution Day, which commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia in 1787. This year’s Constitution Day comes as many politicians and Americans have turned their attention to a growing movement to impeach the 45th U.S. president. Democrats such as California Rep. Maxine Waters have pulled no punches in pushing for Trump’s exit from the White House. “Donald Trump is the most dishonorable and despicable human being to ever serve in the office of the president,” Waters said in her “Impeach 45” speech at the Women’s Convention in Detroit last October. “This is a man with no good values, no good intentions and no good respect.” Other Democrats have highlighted just how they believe Trump has violated the Constitution. Texas Rep. Al Green is an outspoken Trump critic who denounced the Trump-promoted bans affecting Muslim-majority nations and transgender people serving in the Military in his articles of impeachment filed against the president last year. Green also called out the president’s comments about NFL players being fired for anthem protests last September. The president has used such events to promote division, Green said. Here are other times Trump has been accused of constitutional violations.

1. Muslim Travel Ban

People protested Trump’s controversial travel ban affecting travelers from five majority-Muslim countries in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC in June (pictured here.) The ban was an attempt at “casting contempt upon Muslims, inciting hate and hostility, and sowing discord among the people of the United States on the basis of religion,” Green’s impeachment resolution said. The ban was said to have violated the Constitution’s “most basic guarantee of religious freedom,” the Court of Appeals For the Fourth Circuit ruled in declaring the ban unconstitutional in February.

2. Protesters Demonstrate Against Trump Announcement Of Banning LGBT Service Members

Transgender Army veteran Tanya Walker addressed protesters in New York City near a military recruitment center (pictured here) to denounce President Donald Trump’s decision to reinstate a ban on transgender individuals from serving in the military last July. The ACLU argued the ban violates the constitutional rights of transgender people to be treated equally when seeking to serve and enlist in the military.

3. Protestors Rally At Trump Tower For Aid To Puerto Rico

People rallied outside of Trump Tower last October (pictured here) in support of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated parts of the island. The protesters called out the Trump administration’s lackluster response to the storm. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently said the Trump administration violated the Puerto Rico residents’ constitutional rights of equal protection under the law.

4. President Trump Accuses Obama Via Twitter Of Ordering Wiretapping At Trump Tower During Campaign

Last March, Trump accused former President Barack Obama on Twitter of ordering wiretapping at Trump Tower (pictured here) during the run-up to the election. The claim was unfounded with no proof, calling attention to the Constitution’s First Amendment, reports have said. The First Amendment doesn’t protect “false or defamatory” speech.

5. Trump Vs. NFL Players

Several Eagles players said they were not visiting the White House for an expected trip to celebrate their Super Bowl win amid Trump’s feud with the athletes over their National Anthem kneeling protests. However, some players decided to move forward with the trip in June. The president then abruptly canceled the White House reception for the Eagles and instead hosted ‘The Celebration of America’ event (pictured here) for football fans. Trump’s negative comments cast “contempt on professional football players who engaged in constitutionally protected protests,” Green argued in his impeachment articles.