"Treason doth never prosper, what's the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it treason."

[erronis]

1. This. I've been in many discussions that treat the word "treason" as purely legally defined.

Everyone knew that trump was a treasonous bastard from the beginning of his first term.

But using that label was verboten - he wasn't conspiring against the US with a foreign country during "times of war".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treason

In the United States, there are both federal and state laws prohibiting treason.[1] Treason is defined on the federal level in Article III, Section 3 of the United States Constitution as "only in levying War against [the United States], or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." Most state constitutions include similar definitions of treason, specifically limited to levying war against the state, "adhering to the enemies" of the state, or aiding the enemies of the state, and requiring two witnesses or a confession in open court.[2] Fewer than 30 people have ever been charged with treason under these laws.[3]