Trump references famous French dictator in post amid judicial firings

• President Donald Trump quoted Napoleon Bonaparte in a post on X, saying, “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law,” after firing more than a dozen immigration judges on Feb. 14.
• The quote and Trump’s recent executive orders have sparked criticism, with some comparing him to historical dictators and others calling his statement un-American.
• Legal challenges have arisen from Trump’s orders, including a lawsuit from 19 state attorneys general against Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency.

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President Donald Trump appeared to quote the famous French Dictator Napoleon Bonaparte in a recent post on X. The president’s post came a day after he fired more than a dozen immigration judges on Friday, Feb. 14.

What did Trump say?

He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.

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

On Saturday, Feb. 15, Trump posted, “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.” The phrase is commonly associated with Napoleon and comes from the 1970 film “Waterloo,” where Rod Steiger plays Napoleon.

In the scene, Napoleon claims he never usurped the throne.

“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 says in the film. “He who saves a nation violates no law.”

Have there been reactions to the comment?

Some have criticized Trump’s recent comment. They claim he has overstepped his limits as president since returning to office with his recent executive orders, which are being challenged in court.

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Conservative Trump critic Bill Kristol compared Trump to Adolf Hitler’s rise to power. Others like New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie called Trump’s post the most Un-American statement ever said by an American president.

However, the White House has accused the media of fearmongering about Trump’s recent orders. On Wednesday, Feb. 12, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the real crisis is happening in the judicial branch, not the executive.

Leavitt also claimed that the court-ordered injunctions against the White House have “no basis in law.”

“We will comply with these orders but it is also the administration’s position that we will ultimately be vindicated,” she said.

What were Trump’s latest federal cuts?

On Friday, Feb. 14, President Trump fired 20 immigration judges without notice. Thirteen of those judges had yet to be sworn in and five assistant chief immigration judges were dismissed. Two other judges were fired similarly last week.

Officials with the U.S. Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review haven’t said if these judges would be replaced.

The immigration courts are backlogged with more than 3.7 million cases, according to The Associated Press.

These firings follow similar actions from the Trump administration that have since come under legal pressure. Most recently, 19 Democratic-run state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit against Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency. Trump appointed Musk to the position.

The lawsuit accuses Musk and DOGE of an “unlawful assault” on the federal government. Musk has said he is trying to cut federal spending, something the Trump administration has also said when asked about recent executive orders.

What happens next?

Trump and his team have said he will abide by the law. However, he has defended his executive orders and said he is using his legal power as president.

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Trump is attending the Daytona 500 NASCAR race in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Sunday, Feb. 16. The White House sent out a message before Trump arrived at Daytona saying he was looking forward to the “Great American Race.”

“Today, I look forward to joining tens of thousands of American Patriots in Daytona Beach, Florida, for the ‘Great American Race’ – the legendary Daytona 500 – and the official start to the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series,” he said.