President Donald Trump Declares Himself King

Donald Trump made headlines once again this week after declaring himself “king” in a triumphant post on Truth Social. Th incident spiraled throughout the Internet following his administration’s decision to rescind New York City’s congestion pricing program, a move that has sparked legal battles and fiery reactions from state officials. “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, […]

Donald Trump made headlines once again this week after declaring himself “king” in a triumphant post on Truth Social.

Th incident spiraled throughout the Internet following his administration’s decision to rescind New York City’s congestion pricing program, a move that has sparked legal battles and fiery reactions from state officials.

“CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!” Trump posted, celebrating his administration’s rejection of the toll-based program aimed at reducing traffic in New York City. The official account for The White House doubled-down on Trump’s claim to the crown, tweeting a makeshift Time Magazine-themed cover depicting the President’s “Long Live The King” mantra.

Trump’s declaration of kingship was met with a range of reactions, from praise within his administration to sharp criticism from political opponents. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt appeared to endorse the sentiment with a simple “100” emoji on her official account. Meanwhile, New York Governor Kathy Hochul wasted no time firing back.

“We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king,” Hochul stated on social media. “New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years. And we sure as hell are not going to start now.”

According to NBC 4 New York, the rescinded congestion pricing program, originally greenlit under the Biden administration, was meant to reduce traffic while raising revenue for the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). However, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy argued that the plan overstepped federal authority by prioritizing revenue generation over traffic control. The MTA, in turn, filed a lawsuit to challenge the administration’s reversal, ensuring the battle over the tolls will play out in court.

But Trump’s kingly proclamation wasn’t the only executive action making waves. In a sweeping new executive order, the president consolidated his power over independent government agencies, mandating that he alone—along with the attorney general—will determine the interpretation of federal law.

A CNN report details how Independent agencies such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which historically operated without direct presidential control, will now be required to submit regulations for The White House to review. Trump justified the move by stating that these agencies exert “enormous power over the American people without presidential oversight.”

Critics were quick to slam the order. Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen, called it “illegal” and “a giant gift to the corporate class.” Daniel Walters, a law professor at Texas A&M, noted, “This seems to suggest a real interest in reining in independent agencies.”

Additionally, a particularly controversial section of the order states that the president and attorney general will provide “authoritative interpretations of law for the executive branch.” Some have taken this to mean that Trump is asserting exclusive control over legal interpretations, though The White House later clarified that the intent was to ensure consistency across agencies.

Still, given Trump’s recent assertion that “he who saves his country does not violate any Law,” critics fear that this order could pave the way for more aggressive claims of executive authority and have speculated that his rhetoric is actually a dog whistle championing white supremacy.

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