Donald Trump quotes Napoleon, suggests he’s above the law in controversial statement

The quote Trump referenced appears to be inspired by a line often attributed to Napoleon, who justified his despotic regime as the will of the people, as per reports by The Independent. The specific origin of the quote seems to stem from the 1970 film Waterloo, in which actor Rod Steiger, portraying Napoleon, states that he did not ‘usurp’ the crown. “I found it in the gutter, and I picked it up with my sword, and it was the people … who put it on my head. He who saves a nation violates no law.”

He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2025

Trump’s allies challenge judicial oversight

In his first month in office, Trump’s allies have unfoundedly claimed that he holds supreme presidential authority, free from checks and balances, as his executive orders and Musk’s influence over government operations encounter a wave of lawsuits and court orders.

Elon Musk, along with others in Trump’s camp, has criticised judges who have ruled against the administration, calling them “corrupt” and “evil.” There have even been threats to impeach those judges, intensifying the battle between the White House and the courts.

In Photos: Trump’s Super Bowl appearance sparks controversy and criticism

Legal experts have warned that this rhetoric could lead to a constitutional crisis, as the system of checks and balances — a cornerstone of US democracy — is being openly challenged.

The White House, however, maintains that the judiciary is the problem. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed concerns about a potential constitutional crisis, accusing the media of “fear mongering,” as per The Independent. She instead accused district court judges in liberal districts of overstepping their authority.

The ongoing attacks on the judiciary have alarmed constitutional scholars and legal analysts.

Jamelle Bouie, a columnist for The New York Times, described Trump’s comment as “the single most un-American and anti-constitutional statement ever uttered by an American president.” Conservative critic Bill Kristol also expressed concern, warning that Trump’s remarks are dangerously close to invoking a Führerprinzip — a concept from Nazi Germany that granted supreme authority to the leader above all laws.

(With inputs from The Independent)