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President Donald Trump hinted at a provocative stance on executive authority through recent social media posts, suggesting that saving the nation takes precedence over legal constraints.
In a notable statement on X, Trump declared, “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.” The following day, he amplified this message on Truth Social by sharing conservative writer Logan Hall’s post featuring a Napoleon Bonaparte painting alongside the similar quote, “He who saves his country violates no law.”
He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2025
These statements emerged amid ongoing legal challenges from Democrats attempting to curtail investigations into federal agencies by Trump, Elon Musk, and the Department of Government Efficiency regarding financial misconduct.
The administration faces additional judicial resistance to various executive orders implemented in its first month. While Trump maintains respect for court decisions, his advisers have publicly criticized judges and suggested their impeachment. Vice President J.D. Vance recently expressed on X that judges “aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”
According to The New York Times, the administration’s controversial actions include attempts to modify birthright citizenship interpretation under the 14th Amendment and widespread dismissal of public servants, disregarding established civil service protections. The report also noted that Trump has “all but shuttered the agency [United States Agency for International Development] responsible for foreign aid, dismissed prosecutors who investigated him, and fired Senate-confirmed watchdogs without giving proper notice to Congress or justification.”
Two things:
1. Trump does not look, act or move like a 78 year old.
2. The audience reaction to him being shown on the big screen was even louder than it seemed
Powerful stuff. pic.twitter.com/4jWdM8eGcf
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) February 17, 2025
Historical precedents exist for presidents claiming authority beyond legal boundaries. During the Civil War’s early stages, President Abraham Lincoln suspended habeas corpus rights and deployed troops without Congressional appropriation. Lincoln later acknowledged these actions to Congress, stating they were necessary “whether strictly legal or not,” leading to retroactive Congressional approval.
Following Watergate, President Richard Nixon articulated a broad view of executive authority, asserting that presidential actions in the national interest could supersede legal restrictions. Nixon famously declared, “When the president does it, that means it’s not illegal.”
Reuters contributed to this story.
