Trump claimed Saturday that the Founding Fathers wanted him to have immunity, but Alexander Hamilton wrote the opposite in the Federalist Papers.
President Trump told Truth Social: „Without executive privilege, the president loses power and prestige, and under some leaders no power at all. That's not what our founders wanted.“
President Trump's claims are completely meaningless.
The Founders made their views about executive power and its limits very clear.
For more articles like this, subscribe to our newsletter, The Daily.
in federalist 69, Alexander Hamilton contrasted the power of the president with that of a king or tyrant, writing:
The President of the United States will serve as an elected official for four years. The King of England is a permanent hereditary prince. A person who may be exposed to personal punishment or shame. The other person is sacred and inviolable. One of them will have a limited negative position towards the actions of the legislative body. Another his one has an absolute negative value. That person would have the right to command the country's army and navy. The other has, in addition to this right, the right to declare war, and to raise and regulate fleets and armies by his own authority. That person will have powers parallel to those of the legislative branch in the making of treaties. The other person is the sole holder of the right to conclude treaties. That person will also have the same authority when appointing a position. He is no longer the sole creator of all appointments.
That person cannot be given any privileges. On the other hand, you can create alien inhabitants, commoner nobles. You can form a legal entity with all the rights that come with a legal entity. States cannot prescribe any rules for national commerce or currency. The other is the arbiter of commerce in several respects, and in this capacity can establish markets and fairs, regulate weights and measures, impose embargoes for limited periods, mint coins, and You can allow or prohibit coins from circulating. That person has no shred of spiritual jurisdiction. The other is the supreme leader and governor of the national church! What should we say to those who try to convince us that unlike is similar? The same should be given to those who claim that a government with all power in the hands of regular elected servants is an aristocracy, a monarchy, or a tyranny. be.
The founders designed a system in which the president is not the king. By design, presidents do not have absolute or unlimited power without any responsibilities.
Reading the words of the founders makes it clear that the Supreme Court is considering President Trump's immunity claims.
Donald Trump did not have unlimited immunity as president, and he did not have unlimited immunity as a former president.
Hamilton wrote that the president is not an aristocrat, a monarch, or a tyrant.
There are limits to the president's power, and no president is above the law, no matter how much he wants to be.
A special message from PoliticusUSA
If you are in a position to genuinely donate to help keep PoliticusUSA's doors open during a critical election year, please donate here.
We answer only to our readers, never compromise on our fundamental, core PoliticusUSA values, and we're honored to have put your interests first for 14 years.
![](https://www.politicususa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/jason.jpg)
![](https://www.politicususa.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/jason.jpg)
Jason is the editor-in-chief. He is a White House correspondent and Congressional Correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason holds a bachelor's degree in political science. His graduate work focused on public policy and specialized in social reform movements.
Awards and professional membership
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association