In the United States, few labels carry as much lasting baggage as being a “felon.” For decades, a felony conviction all but guaranteed a barren job search, piles of rejection letters, and skeptical glances from prospective employers.
The stigma attached to a criminal record has been reinforced by the long-running “War on Crime” political history championed by Republican lawmakers who portrayed themselves as the hard-nosed protectors of law and order.
Yet the once bedrock principle has collided with the political storm that is Donald Trump. Now that Trump himself has been labeled a convicted felon, has the old rule disqualifying felons from employment been rewritten? And are members of the law-abiding public “suckers” for following the law?
THE TOLL OF A FELONY CONVICTION
Historically, a felony conviction was the proverbial scarlet letter on any job application. Employers performed background checks, and any mention of a felony could terminate the interview process on the spot. The hiring practice, perpetuated across industries, meant that individuals who had served their time and sought rehabilitation faced numerous barriers to reentering the workforce.
A job was not just a source of income, it was a critical component of reintegration into society. By denying gainful employment, the system frequently locked formerly incarcerated individuals in a cycle of poverty, recidivism, and marginalization.
Politicians seeking office capitalized on those fears, appearing “tough on crime” in their propaganda to voters. Especially during the latter half of the 20th century, Republican leaders spearheaded legislation that introduced mandatory minimum sentences, three-strikes laws, and other measures that led to mass incarceration.
The toxic “war on crime” rhetoric cast felons as dangerous outsiders, implying that any form of second chance was not only risky but a sign of governmental weakness. With such deeply ingrained attitudes, countless Americans grew up in an environment where the message was clear. Follow the law, or risk a permanent place at the bottom rungs of the social ladder.
THE STIGMA OF REPUBLICAN’S WAR ON CRIME
To fully understand how deeply the stigma runs, it is important to recall the origins of those crime policies. In reaction to the Civil Rights legislation of the 1960s, Republicans in the 1970s and 1980s began intensely pushing policies that made life especially hard for those convicted of felonies. They primarily use racist fears against Black Americans to promote their draconian policies.
Law enforcement budgets ballooned, prison populations soared, and the parole system left little room for mistakes. Job applications, housing forms, and college admissions documents were required to ask, “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?” Checking that box became a silent, yet nearly fatal, blow to any chance of acceptance.
The approach was framed as a way to keep communities safe. But it also led to a society where redemption and meaningful second chances were basically eliminated. The message from top officials was consistent, if you break the law, you forfeit your chance to fully participate in civic life.
Felony records were widely viewed as evidence of moral failing, and that presumption of ethical inferiority rarely vanished. Even when sentencing guidelines were softened or policies were reexamined, the reputational damage for felons remained.
FELONY CONVICTIONS WITHIN TRUMP’S INNER CIRCLE
When Trump campaigned for the White House in 2016, his platform included a promise to restore law and order. He echoed a Republican tradition dating back decades, criticizing Democrats for being soft on crime and portraying himself as a champion of disciplined justice.
The irony now is that multiple key figures associated with Trump’s 2016 campaign and subsequent administration have pleaded guilty or been convicted of felonies. The list is not only lengthy but also remarkable in that most of the individuals served in top campaign or advisory positions. They included:
- Paul Manafort: Former Trump campaign chairman, convicted of tax and bank fraud.
- Michael Cohen: Former personal attorney, convicted of tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations.
- Roger Stone: Longtime political adviser, convicted of obstruction, making false statements, and witness tampering.
- Rick Gates: Former deputy campaign chairman, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and making false statements.
- Michael Flynn: Former National Security Advisor, pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.
- George Papadopoulos: Former campaign foreign policy adviser, pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI.
- Steve Bannon: Former White House Chief Strategist, convicted of contempt of Congress.
- Allen Weisselberg: Former Trump Organization CFO, pleaded guilty to tax fraud and other charges.
- Elliott Broidy: Former RNC deputy finance chairman, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to serve as an unregistered foreign agent.
- Alex van der Zwaan: Dutch attorney, pleaded guilty to making false statements to investigators.
- Sidney Powell: Former Trump campaign lawyer, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges related to election interference in Georgia.
- Kenneth Chesebro: Pro-Trump lawyer, pleaded guilty to felony charges related to the fake elector scheme in Georgia.
- Jenna Ellis: Former Trump campaign lawyer, pleaded guilty to felony charges related to election interference in Georgia.
- Scott Graham Hall: Bail bondsman linked to Trump allies, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges related to election interference in Georgia.
While some of the convictions were later undone by presidential pardons, the fact of their criminal being prosecuted remains. They were felons. Just as Trump, himself, is now a convicted felon. He was found guilty of 34 charges before his run for the presidency halted other major investigations. Allies in Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court manipulated the justice system, putting Trump above the law, so he would not have to face judgment for close to 100 crimes in total at the state and federal levels.
THE AFTERMATH OF JANUARY 6
Beyond the administration officials who found themselves in legal jeopardy, the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol saw the arrest and prosecution of more than 1,000 individuals. Many of them self-identified as dedicated supporters of Trump, convinced that the 2020 election had been stolen.
Prosecutors described the insurrection as a concerted effort to disrupt the certification of electoral votes. Trump’s treason against the United States added another layer of irony to the notion of law and order within the Trump movement.
Trump’s supporters have received felony convictions for offenses ranging from assault on law enforcement to obstruction of an official proceeding. Images of his mob injuring DC police officers with flag poles, waving the Black and Blue pro-law enforcement flag, showed the world the truth behind their lies. It was the ultimate insult and irony.
TRUMP’S FELONY NOW A BADGE OF HONOR
Interviews with Republican voters around the country have revealed skepticism toward law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and DOJ in the wake of January 6. Republicans and MAGA leaders have continued since to brand them as part of an anti-Trump deep state. In those circles, a felony charge or conviction is seen as the mark of a true believer. A loyal member of Trump’s radical cult. It is a staggering break from the decades of GOP alignment with law enforcement priorities.
For those who followed the laws and rules of society, the pivot is jarring. Crime pays and criminals are rewarded, leaving American citizens to wonder if being honest and law-abiding has put them at a disadvantage. And it raises the question, would felonies committed in the service of Trump actually help their financial success and career prospects?
Were law-abiding citizens “suckers” all along for believing that staying on the straight and narrow was the best path to professional success? For decades, policy and popular culture hammered home the point that a felony record would hamper future opportunities. Yet now Americans see an entire cohort of Trump affiliates, and Trump himself, rallying around the idea that a criminal indictment can be leveraged as a political advantage and financial gain.
A NEW REQUIREMENT FOR EMPLOYMENT?
This moment challenges Americans to ask how society can reconcile two conflicting ideas about crime and punishment. On one hand, the traditional conservative approach insists on strict legal consequences, personal accountability, and skepticism toward rehabilitating offenders. On the other hand, vocal pro-Trump communities like MAGA have embraced felony convictions as a point of pride.
The conditions reflect a deeper transformation in American political discourse, with the fragmentation of core principles — law and order, civic duty, and the pursuit of moral leadership that once unified entire political parties and communities. Americans are also confronting the uncomfortable reality that the weight of a felony record can shift dramatically depending on political alliances, financial resources, or public profile.
The “War on Crime” was mostly a political ideology created as a tool of oppression to protect the interests and social order of White Americans. Under Trump and his allies, its weaponized continuation takes direct aim at all Americans, regardless of ethnicity or social position, who are not obedient to their brutal autocratic rule.
© Photo
Yuri A and Happy Lenses (via Shutterstock)
