Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House, 23 January 2025. Photo: Yuri Gripas – Pool via CNP / MEGA / The Mega Agency
US President Donald Trump has once again found himself at the centre of a political scandal following a post on his social media platform Truth Social. On Saturday, he wrote: “He who saves his country breaks no laws,” a phrase historians attribute to French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, Newsweek reports.
This statement immediately provoked a sharp reaction among Democrats. Senator Adam Schiff, one of Trump’s staunchest opponents, responded on social media site X: “You sound like a real dictator.”
In recent months, Trump has stepped up his rhetoric on expanding his executive powers, which has already led to a series of lawsuits. His political opponents accuse the president of attempting to usurp the power of Congress, as enshrined in the US Constitution.
Despite official White House statements about respecting court decisions, Trump’s advisers have publicly criticised judges who are considering cases against the current administration. Vice President J.D. Vance said this week in X that “judges cannot control the legitimate power of the executive branch”.
Lawyers who have participated in previous attempts to impeach Trump, including Norm Eisen, say that this rhetoric is dangerous for the rule of law. “Napoleon’s statement is being used to justify illegal actions. This is a test of democracy and a challenge to the US judiciary,” he commented.
Trump, who positions himself as a fighter to restore America’s greatness, has recently linked his political mission to divine providence. After the assassination attempt in July, he said: “Many people have told me that God has spared my life for one purpose – to save the country and to restore America to its greatness.”
Now, with the election approaching, the confrontation between the Republican Trump administration and the opposition Democrats is only getting worse, setting a dangerous precedent for the American political system.
