The second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump began on Feb. 9. It was Congress’ last chance to bring justice to his atrocities, but lawmakers failed to do what was right.  

On Saturday, the Senate voted to acquit Trump on a charge of inciting an insurrection. While this decision wasn’t shocking, it has set a dangerous precedent for the U.S.

As long as Trump is allowed to have a political platform, he will be a threat to our country.  

His presidency was rife with lies, fear, deception and violence that will continue because he wasn’t held accountable for the Jan. 6 insurrection that changed the U.S. forever.

Trump egged on violent protesters as they rallied around and eventually stormed the Capitol while election results were being finalized.

Seven people died and hundreds were injured, according to the House manager’s video timeline shown during the trial.

Trump has now become the first president in the history of the U.S. to be impeached twice.   

While Trump needed to be impeached for the events on Jan. 6, he should’ve been removed from office the first time he was on trial on Dec. 18, 2019.

The violence at the Capitol was not an accident and it was completely foreseeable. Trump had been spreading lies and provoking his supporters for months.

In July 2020, Trump became the first president to publicly say he may not accept the election results in an interview with journalist Chris Wallace.

He told his supporters for months that the only way he could lose was if the election was rigged.

Trump claimed victory in a tweet on election night, before votes were fully counted.

He continued to make incendiary comments about the election being rigged and he began filing lawsuits to challenge election results.

On Nov. 15, 2020 Trump tweeted, “He only won in the eyes of the FAKE NEWS MEDIA. I concede NOTHING! We have a long way to go. This was a RIGGED ELECTION.”

These actions alone are seditious and unprecedented.

The transfer of power is a dangerous time for any democracy and Trump took advantage of this.

Anyone who threatens to reject the results of an election is a danger to democracy and shouldn’t be allowed a political platform.

Trump’s actions leading up to Jan. 6 were intentionally provocative and he continued that trend through the fateful day when he held a “Save America” rally near the White House.

At the end of the rally, Trump invited the crowd to march to the Capitol.

“After this we’re going to walk down, and I’ll be there with you … You’ll never take back our country with weakness,” Trump said.  “You have to show strength and you have to be strong.”

Trump sent his followers to the Capitol and only acknowledged the chaos with tweets, telling his supporters to stay peaceful as they stormed past police barricades and forced their way into the building.

Trump responded to the media only after pressure from U.S. officials, where he continued to spread provocative lies and said nothing to satiate the mob.

“We have to have peace. So go home. We love you. You’re very special,” Trump said at the very end of his Jan. 6 statement.

However, the damage had already been done. Rioters terrorized and desecrated the Capitol building.

Had Trump not intentionally stoked anger in his supporters, spread lies and gave them direction, this incident wouldn’t have occurred.

Trump’s legal defense argued he’s shielded under the First Amendment and impeaching him violates his right to free speech.    

However, according to a Feb. 5 New York Times article, a group of Constitutional Law Scholars concluded Trump’s argument was “legally frivolous” because free speech is no longer protected under the Constitution if it incites imminent lawless action or violence.

Even if the charges brought against Trump were baseless, Trump should’ve been removed from office long ago.

Not only was he impeached once before, he’s spread hate and sowed division since he stepped into the political spotlight.  

Despite all the events that have unfolded, the country is still standing.

Not convicting Trump was a massive mistake.

 Trump needed to be held accountable and by not doing so, we’re telling the world his words were acceptable.

They were not acceptable and Trump must be forbidden to hold office again. Until then, he will always be a danger to our country.