Law, Power, and Justice

Thank you for now making D.C. safer,” Tao said. “For us, for our families, for my parents, on behalf of my parents, and now my baby on the way. Thank you so much.” This is what passes for journalism these days at the White House, now that Trump’s staff has taken control of the formerly independent press rotation and started deciding on its own which news organizations get access to the President. The Kremlin press pool could not have played the moment any better.

Trump, like any narcissist who is handed a microphone before an adoring audience, can’t help but reveal. One thing this Cabinet meeting and other recent appearances have shown is a President who is openly riffing as never before about his unchecked reign. “Not that I don’t have the right to do anything I want to do,” he explained at one point, while elaborating on his plans to expand troop deployments. “I’m the President of the United States. If I think our country is in danger, and it is in danger in these cities, I can do it.” He also commented, as he had a day earlier, on critics who say he’s acting like a dictator with his police power grab. “Most people say, ‘If you call him a dictator then . . . if he stops crime, he can be whatever he wants,’ ” Trump said, before adding, “I’m not a dictator, by the way.”