President Donald Trump’s post on Truth Social on Saturday afternoon led some critics to compare his words to authoritarian French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte and label him a “dictator.”
Newsweek has reached out to the White House for comment via email on Saturday.
Why It Matters
Since taking office on January 20, Trump has enacted a slew of broad reforms through executive actions. Some Democrats and Trump critics have warned of a looming “constitutional crisis,” accusing Trump of overstepping presidential authority and disregarding legal constraints.
Recent commentary from the White House, Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk on the judiciary and the rule of law has raised concerns among some critics of Trump, with fears that the president is overextending his power. Prior to taking office a second time, some critics warned of the possibility that Trump could undermine American democracy.
What To Know
Early Saturday afternoon, Trump wrote in a short social media post on Truth Social, “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.”
The quote has often been attributed to Bonaparte, although there is no official verification of this. Bonaparte rose to prominence during the French Revolution after leading a series of military campaigns across Italy and elsewhere. He later crowned himself emperor in 1804, ruling France for a decade.
It is unclear what Trump was posting the statement in response to.
His administration, meanwhile, has been hit with a flurry of lawsuits regarding federal firings and restructuring. When asked earlier this week if he would comply with court orders that blocked his policy agenda, Trump said, “The answer is I always abide by the courts, always abide by them. And we’ll appeal.”
The White House, Vance, and Musk have made a series of comments that have concerned some critics such as Vance’s February 9 social media post that read: “Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power.”
Musk has publicly expressed anger over some court rulings and on Wednesday called for a “wave of judicial impeachments, not just one.”
Ahead of his presidency, Trump had said in a “joking manner” he could be a “dictator” on his first day in office. He was referring to his plans to close the U.S.-Mexico border and expand domestic oil drilling, saying: “No, no, no, other than day one. We’re closing the border and we’re drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I’m not a dictator.”
AP Photo/Ben Curtis
What People Are Saying
Ed Krassenstein, an anti-Trump influencer with 1 million followers on X, formerly Twitter, wrote Saturday: “This is literally a quote attributed to Napoleon Bonaparte—right before he orchestrated a coup, seized absolute power, and crowned himself Emperor in defiance of democracy. He centralized the government, ruled with total authority, abolished free elections, crushed political opposition, censored the press, and executed over 2,000 prisoners of war. He even reintroduced slavery into the French colonies, undoing the progress of the revolution. This isn’t just history—it’s a warning. Ignore it at your own peril.”
Andrew Fleischman, a Georgia lawyer, wrote on X Saturday: “This is a quote from Napoleon, describing how he ended democracy in France.”
Aaron Blake, a senior reporter at The Washington Post, wrote in a Saturday X post: “This is a quote often attributed to Napoleon, a dictator.”
Matthew Yglesias, journalist and blogger, wrote in a Saturday X post: “Libs: Trump is a lawless dictator. Conservatives: The libs are being hysterical. Trump: I believe I should be a dictator who is above the law, like Napoleon.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday: “Many outlets in this room have been fear-mongering people into believing there is a constitutional crisis taking place here at the White House. I’ve been hearing those words a lot lately. But in fact, the real constitutional crisis is taking place within our judicial branch, where district court judges in liberal districts across the country are abusing their power to unilaterally lock President Trump’s basic executive authority.”
The X account “Republicans against Trump” wrote on Saturday: “Remember when they called us hysterical for correctly pointing out that Donald Trump is a corrupt, un-American wannabe dictator who doesn’t believe in the Constitution or the rule of law?!”
What Happens Next?
Trump is expected to face a slew of legal challenges to several executive actions. He has previously said he will abide by the law.
