How Many Constitutional Laws Has Trump Broken
Not Just One Law—But a Strategy to Break the Rules That Hold Power Accountable
Short Answer:
Trump has not (yet) been convicted of breaking any laws formally ruled unconstitutional—but he has been found civilly liable for fraud, convicted of 34 felony counts in New York, and is facing dozens more felony charges in both state and federal courts. Many of these cases involve conduct that strikes at the core of constitutional democracy—election interference, obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and more.
What’s clear is this:
Trump hasn’t just broken rules—he’s tested the limits of what the Constitution can stop, daring the system to hold him accountable.
🧩 A Closer Look at the Violations
Trump’s legal and constitutional transgressions fall into multiple categories—some criminal, some civil, some unresolved, but all part of a pattern: undermining the guardrails meant to check presidential power.
1. Criminal Charges with Constitutional Implications
Trump is facing 91 criminal charges, including 78 felonies, across four major indictments. Several involve alleged crimes that strike at the heart of constitutional governance.
🗳️ Federal 2020 Election Interference Case
Filed by: Special Counsel Jack Smith
Felony counts: 4
Conspiracy to defraud the United States
Obstruction of an official proceeding
Conspiracy against the right to vote
📌 Constitutional impact: Attempts to overturn a democratic election challenge the foundations of Article II, the 12th Amendment, and the peaceful transfer of power.
⚖️ Georgia Election Interference Case
Filed by: Fulton County DA Fani Willis
Felony counts for Trump: 13
Racketeering (RICO)
Solicitation of election fraud
False statements
Forgery
📌 Constitutional impact: Undermines state electoral integrity and federalist balance; targets the same constitutional principles as the federal case—but from the state level.
📁 Mar-a-Lago Classified Documents Case
Filed by: Special Counsel Jack Smith
Felony counts for Trump: 40
Willful retention of national defense information (Espionage Act)
Obstruction of justice
False statements
📌 Constitutional impact: Violates presidential duty to preserve public records and protect national security under Article II.
💰 New York Hush Money Case
Filed by: Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg
Felony counts: 34
Falsifying business records to conceal a campaign finance violation
✅ Trump was convicted on all 34 counts on May 30, 2024.
📌 Constitutional impact: This was about more than hush money—it was about election interference and concealing information from voters, an affront to free and fair elections.
2. Civil Liability for Fraud, Abuse, and Defamation
💼 New York Fraud Case (Letitia James)
Filed by: NY Attorney General
Outcome: Trump, his sons, and Trump Org were found liable for persistent fraud in inflating asset values.
Damages awarded: Over $350 million + restrictions on doing business in NY
📌 Not a felony, but shows long-term patterns of deception and disregard for legal accountability in public business dealings.
🧑⚖️ E. Jean Carroll Civil Cases
Outcome: Trump found liable for sexual abuse and defamation
Total damages: Over $88 million
Multiple courts ruled Trump’s denials were knowingly false
📌 These weren’t criminal cases—but courts found Trump lied, defamed, and abused power. In another context, these might have been felony charges—but no criminal prosecution was brought.
3. Emoluments Clause Violations
While in office, Trump profited from foreign and domestic government spending at his hotels and properties—a potential violation of:
Foreign Emoluments Clause (Art. I, Sec. 9)
Domestic Emoluments Clause (Art. II, Sec. 1)
📌 Multiple lawsuits were filed (e.g., CREW v. Trump), but they were dismissed as “moot” after he left office—without any ruling on the merits.
4. 🧱 Obstruction of Constitutional Oversight
Trump repeatedly refused to comply with congressional subpoenas during investigations into:
Russian interference
Ukraine quid pro quo
January 6th
📌 This amounts to stonewalling a co-equal branch of government, violating the checks and balances laid out in Articles I and II.
He was impeached the first time for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress (2019).
5. Incitement of Insurrection & the 14th Amendment
After losing the 2020 election, Trump:
Spread lies about voter fraud
Pressured state officials and the DOJ
Summoned supporters to D.C.
Told them to “fight like hell”—which they did, violently
On January 13, 2021, the House impeached Trump for “incitement of insurrection”—his second impeachment.
Senate voted 57–43 to convict (but needed 67 votes).
📌 This was a clear attempt to overturn the peaceful transfer of power, challenging the very system laid out in the Constitution.
The case also raised questions about:
14th Amendment, Section 3, which bars insurrectionists from holding office
📎 Full Article of Impeachment (PDF)
6. The Supreme Court and Presidential Immunity
In Trump v. United States (2024), the Supreme Court ruled:
Former presidents have absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for “official acts.”
📌 While this doesn’t clear Trump of wrongdoing, it could shield him from accountability, even for acts related to the 2020 election.
Many legal scholars and watchdogs warned this ruling:
Undermines the principle that no one is above the law
Weakens separation of powers
Creates a roadmap for future abuse of executive power
📎 Read the Supreme Court opinion (PDF)
⚠️ Trump’s Felonies at a Glance
✅ Convicted on 34 felony counts (May 30, 2024)
Facing 57 more felony charges in three active criminal cases:
2020 election interference (federal)
Georgia election racketeering (state)
Classified documents obstruction (federal)
He is the first U.S. president ever convicted of felonies
Key References
✅ What You Can Do
Support watchdogs like CREW, Lawfare, or Democracy Docket
Track court cases at Just Security’s Trump Trials Tracker
Stay informed and share responsibly.
Coming Next:
Trump isn’t the first president to test the limits of power—but the scale, intent, and breadth of his violations set him apart. In Part Two, we’ll compare his record with past presidents who bent—or broke—the rules, and examine what makes this moment so different, and so dangerous, for the Constitution itself.
Harry Lictman has put out a book called The Case For Impeachment. You might find it interesting! Also this morning on Heather Cox Richardson’ news letter a lady gave a link to a TikTok posting of A psychologist giving the best explanation of why people are in the Trump Cult. She really nails it! Facts don't matter to these people. A sense of belonging is what they need from him.