Trump post has critics saying he's declaring himself above the law

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: ABC News

February 16, 2025, 5:05 PM


A post Saturday on X and TruthSocial by President Donald Trump has Democrats and critics accusing him of acting like a dictator and declaring himself above the law. "He who saves his Country does not violate any Law," Trump wrote in the post. Trump did not elaborate and the White House offered no comment, but it later shared the post on its X account alongside Trump's mug shot from the Fulton County, Georgia, election interference case.

He also posted the quote on his Truth Social platform and shared a user's post with the quote set against a portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte on horseback. The quote is often attributed to Napoleon, though the origins are disputed. A similar quote -- "He who saves a nation violates no law" -- is said by actor Rod Steiger playing Napoleon in the 1970 movie "Waterloo."

In the weeks since assuming office, a number of Trump's actions have raised questions of their legality. His administration faces numerous lawsuits -- and accusations of violating the U.S. Constitution -- including for executive orders on freezing foreign aid and Elon Musk's actions as head of the new Department of Government Efficiency.

Trump is the first current or former U.S. president to be convicted of a crime. Last month, a judge -- citing "protections afforded to the office of the president" -- sentenced him to an unconditional discharge in his criminal hush money case, sparing him punishment but cementing his felon status.

Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-post-critics-declaring-law/story?id=118880089

[no_hypocrisy]

1. l'etat c'est moi

the state is me

Louis XIV, King of France

[COL Mustard]

23. THAT didn't end well.

Something about a trip to Place de la Concorde or something. I think Louis kind of lost his head about something or other.

[aeromanKC]

2. Immunity

Fuck you John Roberts!!

[PortTack]

3. He's saying he's going to defy court orders...oh you say? Fines...let's seize that shitty run down gold course in FL

[BumRushDaShow]

5. "Fines...let's seize that shitty run down gold course in FL"

Who is going to "fine" him and "seize"? Pam Bondi's DOJ?

[PortTack]

24. There is a mechanism in place to seize assets as is discussed here...Jamie Raskin being quoted if you care

To open it. I know a lot of ppl here think TikTok is stupid fluff…well, it isn’t

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT2fW33vQ/

[BumRushDaShow]

25. Way back

my college student niece was on musical.ly, which eventually became TikTok, and just as she would show me the musical.ly stuff, she sends me endless TikToks. I don't have any account but it if lets me view a link, I will look at it.

What that seems to basically be saying is that a civil suit could be filed, which is what would enable those other types of court-ordered punishments.

I know I have also suggested that if a (blue) state can find some violation of state law with the actions, then there could be some sort of criminal action taken from a state.

In any case, every type of option needs to be looked at!

[TommieMommy]

4. How many times do we all have to say NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW

The twice impeached convict doesn't care about the law. Someone has to stop him. Please🙏🙏🙏🙏

[Martin Eden]

6. In theory, NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW

That theory is being SORELY TESTED.

[Aussie105]

7. More than that.

The Theory is now defunct, an ex-theory, something to be sneered or laughed at.

Hasn't anyone been paying attention?
SCOTUS said a sitting President can do whatever, so he is above the Law - was a dead law the moment they ruled that way.

[Martin Eden]

8. Trump and Musk are no doubt sneering and laughing

Just as, no doubt, Hitler did as well.

Didn't end well for him, or his people.

[Aussie105]

10. Left a mess behind though . . .

Who will step in and rebuild America after the insanity is over?

I've asked the same question about Palestine and Ukraine, but no answer to that yet.

[otchmoson]

12. The subtleties of language

Actually I think they (the Supreme Court) said that he is immune from prosecution for official acts (legal or illegal) he commits while in office. That does, indeed, give him a get-out-of-jail-free card. I'm sure if he actually committed murder he would frame it as "saving the country from (fill in the blank)." But if anyone else commits that murder "acting on orders from the president"--they are NOT immune. It was a stupid ruling, and does set him above the law but the ruling did NOT say that everything he does is LEGAL--merely that he cannot be prosecuted. That, to me, is the disturbing part--that he twists "immune from prosecution" into "legal"--they are not synonyms.

[bdamomma]

11. We need

to take a lesson from other countries who stood against tyrants, before we are left without nothing.

Just saying.

[Dave Id]

9. Trump above the law

Trump's Extreme Court has already declared him above the law. He's just bragging about it.

[Baitball Blogger]

13. Under Trump's concept of saving the country, how many people have to die under his policies,

before people call his bluff?

[OldBaldy1701E]

14. Too many. That is the issue. Too many. (n/t)

[EarlG]

15. It's worse than that

He’s telling any of his supporters who think that they are acting to “save the country” that the law does not apply to them.

Bomb a Planned Parenthood? You’re “saving the country.” Drive your car through a crowd of protestors? You’re “saving the country.” Shoot an immigrant? You’re “saving the country.”

He has already demonstrated his willingness to follow through on this by pardoning all the J6 criminals who rioted and violently assaulted police officers.

[BumRushDaShow]

16. What is left are the states

who can arrest state law-breakers (and there are many state laws that mirror the federal ones that are being broken).

[EarlG]

17. This is true, but

that nuance will likely be lost on MAGA. The President of the United States is telling them that if they’re trying to “save the country” they can do whatever they want. So yes, state laws still apply, but only after the fact. If we see an increase in acts of terrorism and violence against people perceived to be non-MAGA, it will be because of Trump saying things like this.

[BumRushDaShow]

19. He's certainly putting out the clarion call

But then this country has been there done that with the more radical escalation of calls for violence.

And yet the Luigi Mangione thing is causing some interesting reactions because some were not expecting that.

[GreenWave]

18. He is also beneath America's dignity.

[Fla Dem]

20. That is exactly what he's saying. He's always declared his immunity to the US Constitution and Laws.

[Oliver Bolliver Butt]

21. Umm, he *is* above the law

Love,
John Roberts

[republianmushroom]

22. What the hell, roberts supreme court, said he was above the law. immunity ?

The AG, Merrick the Meek, and DOJ didn't investigate or charge trump with many laws that he broke. So one could and have said he is above the law. That myth, no one is above the law, was just that a myth. Proven by trump, with blessings from the supreme court, AG, and the DOJ.

48 months and counting