US President Donald Trump stated in a wide-ranging NBC News interview aired on 4 May 2025 that he does not know whether he must uphold the US Constitution.
The 78-year-old Republican made the remarks during an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker recorded on 2 May.
When asked if people in the United States – citizens and non-citizens alike – deserve due process of law as stated in the Constitution, Trump responded: “I’m not a lawyer. I don’t know.”
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When pressed more generally on whether he believes he needs to uphold the supreme law of the land, Trump repeated: “I don’t know.”
The comments quickly sparked reactions in Washington, including from members of his party.
Republican Senator Rand Paul, a self-described constitutional conservative, posted on X: “We’re either a free society governed by the Constitution or we’re not.”
Constitutional Questions and Third Term Possibilities
Trump has faced criticism for repeatedly testing constitutional boundaries since returning to the White House in January, particularly regarding his mass deportation policy for undocumented migrants, some without court hearings.
The President insists such rapid expulsions are necessary due to what he declared a “national emergency,” arguing that providing every migrant a court trial would take “300 years.”
Trump’s previous suggestion about possibly seeking a third term has raised concerns among legal and constitutional scholars.
The 22nd Amendment explicitly states that “no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”
In March, Trump said he was “not joking” about pursuing a third term, adding there are “methods” that would make it possible. Changing the Constitution would require a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress and ratification by at least 38 states.
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However, during the NBC interview, Trump downplayed these ambitions, saying “this is not something I’m looking to do,” while acknowledging that The Trump Organisation’s official store is selling red “Trump 2028” hats.
“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,” Trump stated.
When asked about potential successors, he mentioned Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, adding: “We have a lot of good people in this party.”
Economic Claims and International Relations
Trump’s first 100 days back in office saw economic challenges, mainly due to his plans for sweeping tariffs on most countries.
Despite the US economy shrinking in the first quarter of 2025, Trump maintained an optimistic tone in the interview.
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“I think the good parts are the Trump economy and the bad parts are the Biden economy,” he said, insisting that “tariffs are going to make us rich.”
The President overstated some of his economic achievements, claiming gas prices had dropped to US$1.98 (S$2.55) per gallon in some states.
According to the American Automobile Association, the lowest US price per gallon that week was actually US$2.65 (S$3.42), with the national average at US$3.16 (S$4.08).
With Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, scheduled to visit the White House in two days, Trump was asked if he would repeat his call for Canadians to give up sovereignty and become the 51st US state.
“I’ll always talk about that,” Trump responded, complaining that “we subsidise Canada” through a massive trade deficit.
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When pressed further, Trump said it was “highly unlikely” he would use military force against Canada, adding, “I think we’re not going to ever get to that point.”
Trump also spoke about an upcoming military parade in Washington planned to coincide with his 79th birthday on 14 Jun.
“We’re going to have a big, beautiful parade,” he said, dismissing concerns about the event’s cost while his administration lays off thousands of government workers.
“We have the greatest weapons in the world, and we’re going to celebrate it,” Trump concluded.
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