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Trump Cites Napoleon in Defense of Executive Authority
A Controversial Statement
U.S. President Donald Trump took to social media on Saturday to push back against limits on his executive power amid ongoing legal challenges.
“He who saves his Country does not violate any Law,” he wrote on his Truth Social network, quoting a phrase attributed to French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte. The White House did not provide further details.
The statement sparked immediate criticism from political opponents.
“Spoken like a true dictator,” Senator Adam Schiff of California responded on X.
Legal Battles Over Executive Power
Since taking office, Trump has asserted broad executive authority, leading to multiple lawsuits. Some legal challenges accuse him of exceeding the powers granted to the presidency under the U.S. Constitution.
While Trump has publicly stated that he follows court rulings, his advisers have criticized judges on social media and even called for their impeachment. Vice President JD Vance argued on X that judges should not control the legitimate powers of the executive branch.
Legal experts have raised concerns over these positions. Norm Eisen, a Washington lawyer who worked on Trump’s first impeachment trial, said the legal team has repeatedly pushed the idea that presidential actions cannot be deemed illegal. He called Trump’s recent statement a “trial balloon and a provocation.”
A Claim of Divine Purpose
Following an assassination attempt in July, Trump has credited divine intervention for his survival.
“Many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason, and that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness,” he said after his election victory.
“Trump Cites Napoleon in Defense of Executive Authority”