US President Trump Faces Criticism After Comparing Himself to Napoleon

Author: Luthfie Febrianto
February 18, 2025

US President Donald Trump. (ANTARA/Anadolu)

SEAToday.com, Jakarta - US President Donald Trump received backlash on Sunday after likening himself to Napoleon in a controversial social media post.

The tweet, "he who saves his country does not violate any laws," was later identified as a paraphrased version of a statement by Napoleon justifying his dictatorial rule in the 1970 film “Waterloo”.

The statement was seen by critics as an attempt to justify dictatorial behavior, especially as his second presidency has been marked by chaos.

His supporters have challenged the legitimacy of court rulings that delayed his administration's attempts to seize or dismantle federal institutions and budgets.

Trump's disregard for some of these rulings, including one that ordered the restoration of funding to organizations like the National Institutes of Health, led some critics to declare a constitutional crisis.

Critics, including former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, decried Trump’s disregard for judicial authority, calling him "the most lawless president in U.S. history," and emphasizing that it is the courts, not the president, who determine the legitimacy of presidential power.

Senior Democrats quickly criticized the post. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine stated that the president must follow the law, despite his authority, and pointed out that Trump’s actions had been repeatedly challenged in court.

Meanwhile, Trump’s administration, backed by Elon Musk’s "Department of Government Efficiency," has been aggressively cutting federal agencies, including those in healthcare and defense. Senator Tim Kaine condemned the reductions as illegal without congressional approval.

Controversy also arose over the banning of Associated Press journalists for defying Trump’s Gulf renaming order.

The administration faces economic challenges, including rising inflation and potential job losses from proposed tariffs.

Writer: Andi Raisa Malaha Thambas