Trump: ‘When somebody is president of the United States the authority is total’
On Monday President Trump said the authority of the president of the United States is “total.”
Video Transcript
DONALD TRUMP: Let-- let me just tell you. Very simple. I'm gonna put it very simply. The President of the United States has the authority to do what the President has the authority do, which is very powerful.
The President of the United States calls the shots. If we weren't here for the states, you would've had a problem in this country like you've never seen before. We were here to back them up.
And we've backed-- we've more than backed them up. We did a job that nobody ever thought was possible. It's a decision for the President of the United States.
Now, with that being said, we're gonna work with the states because it's very important. You have local governments. They're pinpointed.
It's really-- you talk about-- it's like a microchip. They're pinpointed. We have local government that hopefully will do a good job. And if they don't do a good job, I'd step in so fast. But no, they can't do anything without the approval of the President of the United States.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
Go ahead please.
REPORTER: So if something--
DONALD TRUMP: When you say my authority, the President's authority, not mine because it's not me. This is-- when somebody is the President of the United States, the authority is total. And that's the way it's got to be.
REPORTER: Total? Your authority is total?
DONALD TRUMP: It's total. And the governors know that.
REPORTER: So if-- if a governor--
DONALD TRUMP: The governors know that. Now, you have a couple of bands of-- of-- excuse me, excuse me. You have a couple--
REPORTER: Could you-- could you rescind that order?
DONALD TRUMP: You have a couple of bands of-- of Democrat governors. But they will agree to it. They will agree to it. But the authority of the President of the United States, having to do with the subject we're talking about, is total.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
Yeah, please go ahead.
