“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” – Presidential oath prescribed by the US Constitution in Article II, Section 1, Clause 8
Every president has uttered these words, but I keep asking myself if they even know what they mean or if they even care anymore. Well, President Trump conducted an interview over the weekend with Meet The Press and when asked where it was his job to uphold the Constitution, which is what the oath above affirms, Trump declared, “I don’t know.”
How does he not know what is his job description? Article II is just a few paragraphs, and on top of that, he probably should understand Article I and Article III so he can rightly call out Congress or the Judicial Branch when they violate the Constitution.
At one point in the interview, Trump was asked about due process concerning who the administration was claiming was illegal and whether Trump agreed with that due process is a part of our law.
“I don’t know. I’m not, I’m not a lawyer. I don’t know,” responded Trump, which led to interviewer Kristen Welker to push back, “Well, the Fifth Amendment says as much.”
Trump added, “I don’t know. It seems – it might say that, but if you’re talking about that, then we’d have to have a million or 2 million or 3 million trials.”
“We have thousands of people that are some murderers and some drug dealers and some of the worst people on Earth. Some of the worst, most dangerous people on Earth. And I was elected to get them the hell out of here, and the courts are holding me from doing it,” Trump continued.
However, Welker asked, “But even given those numbers that you’re talking about, don’t you need to uphold the Constitution of the United States as president?”
Trump said, “I don’t know.”
All the times Trump said the Constitution let’s him do whatever he wants
“I have to respond by saying, again, I have brilliant lawyers that work for me, and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said,” Trump added. “What you said is not what I heard the Supreme Court said. They have a different interpretation.”
What’s interesting is that later on in the interview, Trump was asked about running for a third term, which is not allowed per the Constitution and he said, “So many people want me to do it. I have never had requests so strong as that. But it’s something that, to the best of my knowledge, you’re not allowed to do.”
“I don’t know if that’s Constitutional that they’re not allowing you to do it or anything else,” Trump continued. “But, there are many people selling the 2028 hat. But this is not something I’m looking to do. I’m looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody, ideally a great Republican, a great Republican to carry it forward. But I think we’re going to have four years, and I think four years is plenty of time to do something really spectacular.”
When Welker responded, “The Constitution does prohibit it,” and added that Trump “allies” were working hard to see that he gets a third term, trump answered, “That’s because they like the job I’m doing, and it’s a compliment. It’s really a great compliment.”
This, and this alone, is the primary reason that it’s hard to support any of these people that make it to the White House. They do whatever they want, don’t know the Constitution and yet, their very job descriptions are written in it!
Watch the full interview below.
