On this day, two hundred and fifty years ago, the renowned American silversmith Paul Revere embarked on his legendary midnight ride from Boston to Lexington, Massachusetts. His mission was urgent: to alert the colonists and the Minutemen militia about the looming threat of a British invasion against the fledgling nation.

Today, we find ourselves facing a new yet equally serious challenge to our Constitutional democracy—still a young concept in the context of global governance. This time, the threat emanates from an administration that appears to be flouting established norms, laws, and even the Constitution itself, as it consolidates unprecedented power within the Executive Branch.

In essence, Donald Trump seems intent on advancing his agenda by any means necessary, viewing the Constitution as more of a hindrance than a fundamental legal structure. His tactics—including the unilateral dismantling of government agencies, claiming unchecked authority over budget decisions and trade policies, substituting executive orders for legislative action, wielding governmental power for personal grievances, and circumventing due process—seriously undermine the Constitution’s essential principle of separation of powers, which is crucial for preserving our freedoms.

The intricacies of our government are not flaws; they are critical components that the Framers established to protect individual rights from the inevitable abuses that can arise when power is concentrated. James Madison articulated this concern in Federalist 47, stating, “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands…may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.” He further warned, “There can be no liberty where the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person.”

Read More: Can a U.S. Citizen Be Deported? Trump’s Comments Raise Legal Alarms

I believe it is not an overstatement to compare our current situation to that faced by Paul Revere on that fateful spring night in Boston—now it is our time to heed the call.

This issue transcends political parties; it should not be reduced to a Republican or Democratic matter. Instead, it concerns the very foundation of our freedom: the democratic structures designed to prevent the consolidation of absolute power. While people may differ in their opinions on the efficacy of USAID or the Department of Education, such debates must take place in Congress, where the ultimate decision-making authority—and responsibility—lies with the House and Senate, with the President providing input.

This brings us to the present moment. I am convinced that we are confronted with one of the most significant threats to the Constitution and the fundamental principle of checks and balances in our nation’s history. The extensive and severe usurpation of legislative authority to promote a specific agenda poses a serious risk, and if Congress does not act, it will represent the gravest abdication of power by any Congress to date.

It is crucial to emphasize that this is not merely a partisan issue; those who support unconstitutional actions because they align with their policy preferences should be wary of an essential truth in Washington: what goes around, comes around. I do not wish for a future Democratic President to wield the powers currently being sought by this administration, and I suspect many of my Republican colleagues share that concern.

So, what can we do? There are three potential avenues to protect our government system. One defensive measure is the judiciary, where various instances of overreach and illegality are being challenged in courts across the nation.

Another vital bastion should be Congress, yet up until now, Republican leaders have largely shied away from acknowledging the issue, let alone taking action. It is time to recommit to the oath we all took to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” (Interestingly, the Framers anticipated the possibility of ‘domestic’ threats and regarded the defense of the Constitution as our most sacred duty.) I am doing everything in my power to alert my reluctant colleagues to this threat, but I need support, which leads us to our most essential line of defense: the American public.