One thing that I have started to notice today regarding politics is how people associate the idea of patriotism with an individual or a group of people. As a result, anyone who does not align with this individual’s beliefs is often labeled as unpatriotic. However, a true patriot is someone who cares about their country enough to question their leaders and demand accountability.

On August 16, 2025, Riley Gaines tweeted, “If you wish for President Trump to fail, you wish for America to fail. And if you wish for America to fail, you’re a domestic terrorist.” In other words, Gaines believes that disagreeing with Trump is the same as betraying the U.S. However, I believe that criticizing the President is critical for us to have a healthy democracy, as people have the right to express their opinions about how their government should be run.

Who is Riley Gaines?

People need to know Riley Gaines’ background to understand why she believes the way that she does. As a former swimmer at the University of Kentucky, Gaines was named the 2022 SEC Women’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year and won the silver medal in the 4x 200-yard freestyle relay during the 2021 NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship.

However, Gaines’ life would change during her last career swim meet as she tied for fifth place with University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas during the NCAA 200-yard freestyle championship. Thomas would become the first trans woman to win an NCAA championship in the 500-yard freestyle. 

While this was supposed to be a happy moment for Thomas, other people, such as Rebka Gyorgy, didn’t think that Thomas should have been allowed to compete. According to the guardian.com, the “USA Swimming’s policy states that trans athletes must undergo three years of hormone replacement therapy before being allowed to compete.” In Thomas’s case, she was six months behind the requirements, but the NCAA still allowed her to compete. This moment became a turning point for Gaines, fueling her fight to keep biological men from competing in women’s sports. 

Trump ≠ America

I know that title may sound crazy, but let me explain what I mean by this. Gaines’s statement equating Trump with “America” is not only false but also dangerous. A single politician does not define America; the people and the Constitution define it. Many presidents have come in and out of the White House, but something that has never changed is the power to decide how their country is run. It is the voters who put President Trump into the White House, not the other way around. 

I recognize that I am privileged to be an American citizen, enjoying rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the right to own a gun. These rights are guaranteed to every American, thus I can openly disagree with Trump’s viewpoints. But, this does not make me a “domestic terrorist.” Wanting America to be in a better state—or believing it could benefit from different leadership—is not unpatriotic; it is using the rights that keep our democracy alive.

If we take Gaines at her word, then Republicans can’t wish for a Democratic president to fail without also wishing for America to fail. We can not just pick and choose which leaders are allowed to be criticized, because no leader is perfect.

“You should respect the office, even if you do not like the person.”

One argument that may occur to you as you read this article is that I should respect the office of the President, even if I do not like the person. However, this does not mean that I am blindly going to follow that person no matter what. Respecting the office of the President means holding whoever is in charge to a higher standard of accountability.

At the end of the day, it is not a matter of wanting someone to fail; it is a matter of making sure the person in charge is doing things properly according to our laws. If we say that we are the “greatest country in the world,” then we need to prove it by showing that no one is above our laws, including our leaders. This means constantly checking to see whether one or more of our branches of government is overstepping its power, and that accountability applies to everyone. 

If we do not hold our leaders accountable for their mistakes, we would be doing America a disservice rather than helping our country progress towards a brighter future.

Acknowledgement: The ideas expressed in this article are those of the individual author.