Rep. Troy Carter Jr., a U.S. congressman from Virginia and member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has issued a stern warning about President Donald Trump’s repeated use of emergency powers. According to Carter, Trump’s invocation of these powers — eight times in his first 00 days in office — represents a dangerous shift toward authoritarianism.
The congressman argues that emergency measures were never intended to serve as policy shortcuts. Instead, they are meant to address true emergencies, not to advance domestic agendas while bypassing Congress. Legal experts, including Elizabeth Goitein from the Brennan Center for Justice, have echoed these concerns, warning that Trump’s approach threatens the constitutional balance of power.
Carter, who is also an adjunct professor of Political Science at Xavier University of Louisiana, has pledged to stand against this abuse of authority and protect the rule of law, which he says has safeguarded the nation from tyranny for nearly 250 years. He emphasizes that the framers of the Constitution understood the risks of unchecked emergency powers, which is why they designed a system of checks and balances — not a system of one-man rule.
As the debate over executive overreach continues, Carter’s warning serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining a constitutional framework that prevents the concentration of power. His call to action underscores the need for vigilance in preserving democratic norms and ensuring that no single individual can wield unchecked authority over the nation’s governance.