Dwain Northey (Gen X)

“Unprecedented”: The Word That Died from Overuse

There was a time, long ago—say, around 2015—when the word unprecedented actually meant something. It was reserved for world-shifting events: a moon landing, a cure for polio, maybe even the invention of sliced bread. But under the Trump Redux Administration, unprecedented has been wrung dry, overworked, and beaten into a meaningless pulp. Like a toddler’s favorite toy, it’s been chewed on, screamed at, and hurled across the room so many times it’s barely recognizable.

Because let’s be honest—every single week, nay, every single tweet, is “unprecedented.” The term has become the verbal duct tape holding together what’s left of journalistic sanity. At this point, it might as well be the official slogan of the administration: “Trump 2025: Unprecedented Since Day One.”

Let’s review the Top Five Crimes So Unprecedented, the Dictionary Just Gave Up.

1. The 34-Count Convicted Felon Who Became President Again

We started off strong. Imagine: a man convicted on 34 felony counts somehow running for president—and winning. Not just any felonies, mind you, but good old-fashioned falsifying-records-to-cover-up-a-crime felonies. America collectively shrugged and said, “Eh, let’s give him another shot.” After all, who doesn’t love a comeback story? Sure, Nelson Mandela did 27 years in prison before becoming president, but Mandela didn’t do it for hush money payments and tax fraud. Unprecedented.

2. Deploying Troops on U.S. Soil—Because Feelings

In a bold reinterpretation of the Constitution, the Commander-in-Chief decided that sending troops into U.S. cities is perfectly fine, as long as the reason is “whatever he feels like that day.” Portland, Chicago, New York—no protest too peaceful, no governor too elected. Who needs checks and balances when you’ve got tanks and Twitter? When the National Guard started showing up to clear out yoga moms holding “Democracy Is Cool” signs, even the Pentagon collectively sighed. Unprecedented.

3. Turning the East Wing into a Rubble Pile

Then came the pièce de résistance: the demolition of the East Wing. No, not for safety, not for historical preservation—just because “it didn’t match the vibe.” A literal wing of the People’s House reduced to dust so a grand ballroom could rise from its ashes. When critics asked if there was any public process for the decision, the answer was a resounding “I am the process.” The ghost of Harry Truman, who once rebuilt the White House because it was collapsing, reportedly muttered, “What the actual hell?” Unprecedented.

4. Suing the U.S. Government for Laws He Broke

In a Shakespearean plot twist, the President has filed a lawsuit against his own government for enforcing laws he personally violated. The logic? “If I’m the government, how can I break the law against myself?” Somewhere, every civics teacher in America simultaneously burst into flames. Imagine robbing a bank, getting arrested, and then suing the police for “interfering with your economic freedom.” That’s not just audacious—it’s Trumpaciously unprecedented.

5. The Never-Ending, Ever-Expanding, “Unprecedented” List of Crimes

From obstruction of justice to mishandling classified documents to installing loyalists in positions meant to check his power, the man’s résumé is longer than the Mueller Report (and just as incriminating). He’s managed to stretch the bounds of legality, ethics, and reality itself. Historians have given up trying to label each scandal—they now just refer to them as Episodes of the Unprecedented Saga. Season 3 airs next week.

At this point, “unprecedented” has been so overused, Merriam-Webster is reportedly replacing the entry with a photo of Trump holding a golf club over the smoking ruins of democratic norms.

So perhaps it’s time for a new word—something beyond unprecedented. Apocalyptic? Constitutional-adjacent? Criminalicious? Whatever it is, we’re going to need it. Because as long as this administration continues to make history by setting it on fire, “unprecedented” just isn’t cutting it anymore.

America used to lead the world in innovation and progress. Now, we lead in felony counts and audacity. Truly—unprecedented.