Trump Admits He Thinks He Can Break Any Law He Wants: Rolling Stone

Donald Trump has been back in office for less than a month, and already, he—along with Elon Musk and senior administration officials—has plunged the nation into a constitutional crisis, openly engaging in brazen acts of lawlessness and corruption while threatening to retaliate against judges who oppose his power grab, argued Asawin Suebsaeng in an analysis for Rolling Stone.

Trump’s statement bears a striking resemblance to Richard Nixon’s infamous claim that “when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.”

During Presidents’ Day weekend, the twice-impeached president and convicted felon made his stance clear: He believes he is above the law.

“He who saves his Country does not violate any Law,” Trump posted online—not just once, but twice. The quote, falsely attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte, was shared both on his Truth Social platform and on Musk’s X (formerly Twitter).

Trump’s statement bears a striking resemblance to Richard Nixon’s infamous claim that “when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.” Like Nixon, Trump has now explicitly stated that he believes his actions—so long as he claims they are for the good of the country—are beyond constitutional and legal limits.

His belief in unchecked presidential power is reinforced by the conservative supermajority on the U.S. Supreme Court, which last year ruled that a president enjoys immunity from prosecution for official acts.

Meanwhile, the Republican Party and conservative elites have largely embraced his vision of a lawless presidency, where “quaint things like laws” are no longer a concern.