Donald Trump continues to consolidate power and show a flagrant disregard for the rule of law. This arrest is another affront to our rights and freedoms and should alarm and enrage us.

Today, Donald Trump and his administration are once again trampling on our rights and our freedoms. Journalists Don Lemon and Georgia Fort were fulfilling their duty to the American people to report and inform, and they have been arrested for it.

Alex and tens of thousands of Minnesotans have boldly defended their neighbors against the murderous occupation of an American city by the federal government. I am enraged and heartbroken for Alex, his family, Minneapolis, and America.

Leadership is not volume. It is discipline.
Strength is not bravado. It is credibility.

And credibility, once undermined on the world stage, is not easily restored.

Finally, governance itself was diminished. Personal attacks on independent economic officials and members of Congress do not reassure global markets. They raise questions about institutional respect and continuity; the very qualities that have long made the United States a safe bet.

At Davos, inaccuracies are not overlooked. They are remembered.

Economic credibility fared no better. Claims that consumer costs are broadly declining do not align with lived reality. Random tariff figures tossed out without explanation reveal a fundamental misunderstanding of how tariffs function they are taxes paid by consumers and businesses,not magic levers.

They are signals of unpredictability. Diplomacy is built on trust; trust is built on restraint.

Equally troubling was the casual treatment of foreign policy. References to territorial acquisition “for security,” veiled threats toward friendly nations, and personal grievances aired as strategy are not markers of toughness.

It weakens deterrence. Alliance credibility depends on clarity and consistency, not doubt introduced on a global stage. When uncertainty is voiced by the United States itself, it invites adversarial testing and unnerves partners who rely on American steadiness.

That is why the remarks delivered this week should concern every American who understands what U.S. leadership actually requires.

Publicly questioning whether our allies would honor mutual defense commitments particularly within NATO does not project strength.

In his time and in ours, others seek to make us afraid, divided, and silent. We will not give them that satisfaction. As we honor Dr. King today, we continue the fight with determination, resilience, and joy.

Last week, it was my honor to visit the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. As I stood on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel where Dr. King spent his final moments, I thought about what Dr. King would see if he looked at America now. What would he think? What would he say?