Donald J. Trump didn’t win the election last night; fear and loathing did. Justice, accountability, honesty, character and Democratic values lost.

If you repeat a lie often enough, the theory goes, people accept it as truth. That theory has become reality. Last night, a majority of American voters bought into the lie that the 2020 election was stolen, that the insurrection of the Capitol on January 6, 2021 instigated by the soon-to-be-inaugurated Donald Trump, is—in the minds of millions—a forgotten piece of history.

The election win of Donald Trump vividly illustrates the deepening divisions and loss of faith in the country by a majority of the American electorate, revealing significant shifts in voting patterns. The impact of social media, influencers and political strategists speaks more loudly to many more Americans than ever before. Facts . . . aren’t in the ballpark or even in the state where the ballpark is located.

The man who declared, “I am your retribution,” and vowed to “root out the communists, Marxists, fascists, and radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country” is as close as it comes to effectively controlling all three branches of the federal government. With a Supreme Court shaped by his appointment of three conservative justices—responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade—Trump will likely be positioned to pursue any course of action, claiming immunity under the office of the president without consequence.

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that former presidents are protected from prosecution for actions regarded as “official acts” conducted during their time in office. The court failed to offer a concrete definition of “official acts.”

However, more than 300 former national security officials, including Trump’s former chief of staff General John Kelly, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Mark Milley, and former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper—ALL have strongly warned about the risks of another Trump presidency. Americans must heed their warnings by exercising their First Amendment rights—freedom of speech, press, religion, peaceful assembly, and the right to petition—without fear of retribution. These rights are vital to safeguard democracy.

While the vote count continues, if Republicans win a majority in the House as they already have in the Senate, they will likely rubber-stamp nearly any policy, plan, or law Trump wishes to implement.

“I will be dictator on day one” may mark the darkest day in U.S. history—one that could easily extend far beyond 24 hours. (What’s to stop a dictator from prolonging his grip on power?)

Honesty, integrity, accountability, and the rule of law—will be determined on the whims of a convicted felon who has zero character, is a serial liar, has no Christian or democratic values, and was found liable for sexual harassment.

The darkness that clouded Donald Trump’s campaign has only deepened, and we can only imagine the extent of the retribution and repression yet to come.