Trump Says He ‘Doesn’t Know’ Whether He’s Obligated To Uphold The Constitution In Startling Interview

by Evelyn QiuMay 5, 2025, 8:22 pmHome Featured, News >

President Donald Trump raised eyebrows after answering he was unsure whether he is obligated to uphold the U.S. Constitution in a wide-ranging Meet the Press interview that aired Sunday,

Host Kristen Welker asked Trump whether he must follow constitutional protections like due process in deportation cases. “I don’t know,” the president said. “I have brilliant lawyers that work for me, and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said,” Trump added. When Welker referenced the Fifth Amendment, Trump again responded, “I don’t know. It might say that,” before pivoting to say he was elected to remove “dangerous people” from the country.

Trump’s comments come as his administration defies a Supreme Court order to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported and imprisoned in El Salvador. The administration has stalled on the court’s directive, arguing that the term “facilitate” leaves room for interpretation.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Trump’s uncertainty about constitutional obligations “as un-American as it gets.”

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The interview also fueled speculation about the possibility of Trump running for a third term. When asked about “Trump 2028” campaign merchandise, Trump said, “So many people want me to do it… but to the best of my knowledge, you’re not allowed to.”

Though he stopped short of announcing any plans, he didn’t rule out the possibility outright. He said he intends to serve “four great years” and then pass leadership to a “great Republican,” mentioning Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as potential successors.

On the economy, Trump attempted to take credit for positive trends while blaming his predecessor, Joe Biden, for ongoing instability. While acknowledging recent stock market turbulence and rising prices following his tariff rollout, Trump defended the economic strategy. “Tariffs are going to be great for us because it’s going to make us rich,” he said.

Addressing comments he made earlier in the week about children needing fewer toys, Trump doubled down, saying, “Maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30,” and later added, “They don’t need 250 pencils. They can have five.”