Defeat, Delay, Dilute: ACLU Versus President Trump
We're telling the story of the first year of our fight against the second Trump administration, our lessons learned, and our path forward.
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A Message from Anthony D. Romero
One year ago, President Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term. Within hours of his inauguration, it was clear that he and his administration would, once again, test the Constitution and the willingness of our nation’s institutions and people to defend it.
Although we faced an incredibly bleak landscape for civil rights and civil liberties, the ACLU did not relent. We were ready on day one and able to meet the Trump administration’s shock and awe strategy with an even more shocking and awesome response.
Yet, defending the Constitution in this environment has required more than advance preparation and a sense of urgency. It necessitated an unshakable belief that democratic norms are worth fighting for even when the pressure seems unyielding. That’s why we mobilized our lawyers, advocates, organizers, storytellers, and supporters to delay unconstitutional policies before they took effect, dilute their reach when full blockage wasn’t immediately possible, and defeat them through courts, public pressure, and sustained organizing.
One year in, our work is guided by a simple principle: we are only in a constitutional crisis if we allow ourselves to be.