Former president Donald Trump and his brigade of lawyers have been wishing away the Damoclean sword of election subversion conspiracy for quite some time. They truly believe his sweeping victory was stolen in 2020 and even if–by some stroke of magic–not, he held every right, thanks to the First Amendment–to lie about it. Problem solved. Case dismissed. But hold on, America’s higher judiciary seems to have an entirely different reading of the tea leaves. Setting a date for Trump’s trial at the peak of the next round of general polls, a federal judge does not seem to pull his punches. When more than a dozen states would be busy choosing their favourite contestant for Republican Ticket for the 2024 elections, the 77-year-old would be defending himself with his eyes set on recapturing the White House. At the centre of his legal troubles sits the refrain that no one should be held above the law. Mr Trump would have to prove before a court that he had no intent to direct a conspiracy to subvert the American constitution and retain power after he had lost the presidential elections. Because of the extent to which the entire country (and by extension, the whole world) has been overwhelmed by his constant attacks at one of the largest democracies in the free world, any prospect of seeing him finally taste the consequences of his actions is, heartening, to say the least. Loose talk of civil war casually made its way to the streets as general trust in the government and its writ touched rock bottom. Trump’s twisted, almost cryptic messaging continues to be well-received by Republican voters who are determined to brand President Biden as a cheat. Perhaps, the thundering gavel across seas would help us introspect on the stench coming from whatever is going rotten right underneath our noses. In a country, where every election is bound to trigger nasty speculations and rigging frenzy, an example of the judicairy trying none other than a former premier because of his insistence on “creat(ing) an intense national atmosphere of mistrust and anger and erode public faith in the administration of the election,” should call for immediate reforms. Strengthen the election commission so it may perform above reproach and establish the writ of the land so that justice is done and justice is seen to be done. *