“We were at war with a dictator; now we are fighting against a dictator supported by a traitor.” Thus, in a brilliant speech, did Claude Malhuret, hitherto a little-known French senator, define the challenge of our age. He was right. We now know that the US and so the world have been transformed for the worse. But this should no longer be all that surprising. The doubt rather is over how Europe can and will respond.

In the 1970s, I had the good fortune to live and work in Washington DC. This was the era of Watergate. I watched the congressional hearings on the ill-doing of President Richard Nixon with admiration. It swiftly became evident that members of Congress of both parties took their obligation to protect the constitution both seriously and literally. Nixon was about to be impeached and convicted. Warned of this, he duly resigned.

Contrast this with the second impeachment of Donald Trump in February 2021 on the far greater crime of inciting an insurrection aimed at overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election. It is impossible for anybody sane to doubt his guilt. But only seven Republican senators voted for conviction. It was not enough. In letting him off, Congress killed the constitution. What has happened since that moment was predictable and predicted.