Trump’s flouting of norms was the siren song of his candidacy, and it has become a defining feature of his presi­dency. Though some of our core democratic values are wrapped up in norms, it’s still easy to ask: If no laws have been broken, what’s the problem? Trump’s refusal to separate from his business interests could prompt Congress, in the future, to impose tougher ethics rules on the White House. Trump’s Justice Department has, crucially, defended the norm that frees federal investigations from the president’s interference. Imagine that Trump leaves office with the norms of the presidency damaged but not irreparably so.

Source: New York Times July 11, 2017 09:00 UTC