Perhaps no president (including a president with a law degree) spent a lot of time around lawyers and Donald Trump. When he was young, he was notoriously guided by the ruthless Roy Cohn. Throughout his career, he has used litigation as a tool for business, public relations and intimidation. Trump chews through lawyers attorneys, often because they can’t or for moral reasons, and won’t do what he asks for.

Given his typical view of law as a tool, it is strange to see the president suddenly so respectful to legal advice. Several times in the interview See the media This weekend, Trump hid behind lawyers instead of answering difficult questions.

Host Kristen Welker first asked Trump whether he was not working hard to put Kilmar Abrego Garcia into practice to violate the Supreme Court order. "No. I rely on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has the ability and does a great job," he said. "Because I'm not involved in legality or illegality. I have lawyers to do that, which is why I have a great Justice Department."

Next, Welk asked Trump whether he agreed to the due process that Secretary of State (among other matters) should be due. It's not a difficult question, but Trump stabbed: "I don't know. I'm not a lawyer."

Her next question is easier. "Don't you need to uphold the U.S. Constitution as president?" This was in the office's oath, he attended twice, but he replied, "I don't know. I have to answer, again, I have excellent lawyers working for me and they obviously follow what the Supreme Court said."

Later, she asked Trump about his attempts to use the IRS to investigate Harvard and revoke its tax exemption status, which Harvard and legal experts say is illegal. "Well, I tell you, I'm going to follow what the lawyer said." "They said we can do that, and I'm going to do it all."

Trump said in a recent Oval Office interview that he was similar to my colleagues Jeffrey Goldberg, Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer, who asked him about his idea of ​​sending American citizens to be imprisoned in El Salvador. "I said 'if 'if 'if 'if 'if 'if 'if 'if 'if 'if ', I always said 'if 'if '." "If the legal thing is legal - no one gave me a sure answer - but if the legal approach is done, I'll have no problem moving them to a foreign prison, which will cost much less."

The law is complicated and any wise president will consult a good lawyer, but if someone is not prepared to make a basic judgment on the Constitution, perhaps he should not lead the government branch that enforces federal laws. Trump’s so-called respect is particularly shocking: on the one hand, his administration has launched one of the greatest power grabs in American history, seizing authority without a president before, and using the executive branch as a tool for retribution. On the other hand, he is See the media Pretend he is just a simple policymaker of case law.

This is naturally Balderdash. Trump understands the law can be political and he has always asked lawyers who work for him not to be neutral. During his first term, he was angry with the administrative lawyers, who felt too eager to defend the costs of law and government agencies. "Where is my Roy Cohen?" he asked.

During his second term, he tried to appoint an Attorney General Matt Gaetz, who was so ineligible that even congressional Republicans could not get along with him, making him nominate Bondy. Since the confirmation, she and Trump have been working to remove the Department of Justice’s traditional independence, something that keeps lawyers from political interference. The Justice Department's pardon lawyer was reportedly fired for opposing gun rights by Trump's friend Mel Gibson. Career lawyers were fired as Trump asked, without a clear explanation, and the department cuts its public integrity section. Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate Actblue, the main democratic fundraising platform. He also pushed lawyers elsewhere, such as the Ministry of Defense.

Meanwhile, Trump systematically worked to intimidate major law firms. For some, he twisted his arms into humiliating agreements involving the large amount of free legal work for the cause he supported. He tried to punish those who refused, although a federal judge permanently blocked orders against law firm Perkins Coie late Friday. Judge Beryl Howell wrote: “There is no execution order issued by the President of the United States in this lawsuit.” In short: This order is neither an action by a person who believes that a lawyer is neutral nor a person who is harmful to the law.

Trump’s uncertainty in these interviews is not a sign of restraint. The president cannot both try to seize power and pass the bucks. Whether to comply with the Constitution is his decision, not some lawyers.

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PS

Another amazing example of respect has just been discarded when we edited this newsletter. Later on Friday, Trump clearly released his Ai-generated image in his papal outfit. Then, the official White House account of X reposted it. This idea is Ha ha It feels more than keeping a joke in the form that follows Trump's response to reporters' questions about the next pope, who said he will nominate himself. Still, many Catholics didn’t have fun, and this afternoon, Trump was out of reach with his image: “I have nothing to do with it. I don’t know where it comes from. Maybe it’s AI.” No one told him about AI lawyers!

- David

Stephanie Bai contributed to the newsletter.

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