'Long live the king!': Trump faces backlash for comparing himself to royalty
By: By Katie Scott - Canada's Global News
BUZZ NOTE: There is at least one relevant news video embedded in this article which may be accessed by clicking on the SEEDED CONTENT link below this message, which will open the original source article.
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'Long live the king!': Trump faces backlash for comparing himself to royalty
U.S. President Donald Trump has branded himself as royalty.
On Wednesday, Trump was celebrating his administration's order to halt the congestion pricing tolls in New York City, which lessen traffic and fund mass transit by making people pay to drive into Manhattan's core.
Trump likened himself to a king in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, celebrating the move to terminate federal approval of the congestion pricing program.
"CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED," Trump wrote, adding, "LONG LIVE THE KING!"
A screenshot of U.S. President Donald Trump's Truth Social post.
The official White House social media account on X shared Trump's quote and added a fake magazine cover showcasing an illustration of Trump smiling and wearing a bejewelled golden crown. In the corner of the mocked-up cover, the text reads: "LONG LIVE THE KING."
A screenshot of The White House's social media post.
The congestion pricing tolls were launched on Jan. 5, and the city's system used licence plate readers to impose a $9 toll on most vehicles entering Manhattan neighbourhoods south of Central Park. In its early days, transit officials said the toll has brought modest but measurable traffic reductions.
The federal government has now officially rescinded its approval of the program, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced Wednesday, calling the toll's financial burden "a slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners."
The Federal Highway Administration will work with the state on an "orderly termination of the tolls," according to the statement.
Within minutes of the announcement, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a state agency that runs the New York City subway and other public transit, filed a federal lawsuit to keep congestion pricing alive.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the toll program would continue while the lawsuit plays out.
Hochul was quick to fire back at Trump after he announced his plan to halt the congestion pricing tolls and referred to himself as a king.
"I'm here to say: New York hasn't laboured under a king in over 250 years," she said at a news conference at Grand Central Terminal, one of the city's train hubs. "We sure as hell are not going to start now."
"The streets of this city, where battles were fought, we stood up to a king and we won then. In case you don't know New Yorkers, when we're in a fight, we don't back down, not now, not ever," she added.
Hochul also posted a letter on X, writing, "We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king."
"Public transit is the lifeblood of New York City and critical to our economic future — as a New Yorker, like president Trump, knows very well," she added.
Trump faced backlash from other notable figures after labelling himself as royalty.
Democratic National Committee (DNC) Vice Chair David Hogg quoted the White House's post on X with the illustration of Trump as King, writing, "Republicans: Stop overreacting and calling Trump a king. Literally the White House twitter account:"
A screenshot of David Hogg's post on X.
"Doesn't matter what [yo]u think of congestion pricing, federal government doesn't get to make this decision. NY State passed a law, USDOT approved it. No matter what corrupt deal Donald Trump made with the Mayor, he isn't king. Only fools concede to false power. It's an illusion," New York City council member Justin Brannan wrote on X.
Don Beyer, a Democratic representative of Virginia, took to X, writing, "We don't have kings in the USA."
Illinois's Democratic governor, JB Pritzker, mentioned Trump's self-proclaimed royalty while he delivered a state address, saying, "As governor of Illinois, my oath is to the constitution of our state and our nation. We don't have kings in America, and I won't bend the knee to one."
Trump's post proclaiming himself "king" comes one week after he made a statement that he believed he had the freedom to reshape the United States government in any way he wants without legal repercussions.
"He who saves his Country does not violate any Law," he wrote on social media. The phrase, attributed to the French military leader who created the Napoleonic Code of civil law in 1804 before declaring himself emperor, drew immediate criticism from people on social media, however, the White House account shared Trump's statement on X.
A screenshot of the White House’s post on X. WhiteHouse / X
After Trump's post, former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence shared an article he penned more than a decade ago on the limits of presidential power.
Trump, who took office on Jan. 20, has made broad assertions of executive power that appear headed toward U.S. Supreme Court showdowns. Some lawsuits accuse Trump of usurping the authority of Congress as set out in the U.S. Constitution.
— With files from The Associated Press and Reuters
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America might have been better off under "Crazy" King George III.
I guess Trump better stay out of Texas. We had a great system of Express Lanes accessible for a small fee which became too popular and started getting jambed and backed up at the same time as the major highways they shadowed.
Now, in order to keep traffic "reasonable" on the express lanes, AI determines the fees between different points of access and exits according to congestion.
So now when the 820/121/183 is sitting still, the adjoining express lanes which are less than dollar on Saturday morning, between $2 and $4 during the weekday, are now $23.00 at rush hour on Friday night.
But I did it once because I was at the end of a 14 hour ride from TN to TX and I wanted to get home 20 minutes earlier.
The rest of the time I would do what any New Yorker just figured out; use the surface streets for free.
NY finally figured out something to ruin their reputation for daily gridlock and Trump just couldn't help himself.
Roughly 1,400 days to go
...and counting.
At least Canada prevailed at their hockey tournament.
Trump had taunted Trudeau before that final game, and I'm glad he got the US loss smacked in his face for doing so.
I am a confirmed royalist at heart, never would I allow Trump to seize the throne. If he did I think we would have an American style revolution !!
I was as well, until "Chucky the marriage cheater" ascended the throne.
Thankfully , the late Queen had it in her will , a stipulation that Charles would have to step down in favor of his son William , after a set period of time, and his bout with cancer could be hastening that time .
so there is hope yet for the monarchy .
Arvo Mark..not sure where you got that info from but Charles is there until he carks it (dies)..
He swore at his Coronation that he will serve for as long as he lives..for how ever long or short that maybe..
Arvo..same here..
Queen Elizabeth yes and always...
Charles never...
Now that picture looks an awful lot like some of the Emus i have seen raised here .....
Its just some of the page 3 stuff i have read being something of a royal watcher on my side of the Atlantic .
un confirmed reports i have read is that her majesty , left orders that Charles was to step down no later than his 80th birthday in favor of William, Kind of put the kybosh on Camilla the gorilla trying to make her son as heir apparent over William and infuse her children and grand children into the royal family line .
But like i said , his battle with cancer , which i hear is not going well, may very well make his abdication sooner rather than later .
Even if he abdicates , he can still serve the crown .
Can you post a valid link that I can open that indicates that?
There is a requirement that those of us who had the right to use the letters Q.C. (for Queen's Counsel) after our name should automatically change it to K.C. once Chucky took over. I prefer to omit it.
let me know if you can open that , if not i can cut and paste the article .
i dont know if you would find the source credible either .
it is one of the first that came up when i searched .
If that wasn't just a joke I would cash all the paper money I had in for toonies and loonies.
Thanks - thankfully only 4 more years. I imagine a lot of Americans are saying those same words as well these days. In fact, not just Americans.
No, King Charles III will not step down from the British throne for Prince William. Instead, Charles will remain monarch until he dies.
Arvo...no as much as we wish it it won't happen... Charles is it to whenever...
explain Edward the VIII, and how QEIIs father became King so QEII became queen , her father was a "SPARE" as well and luckily so in my view , otherwise there would have been no QEII..
I would say , thats IF Charles abides by his mothers wishes ....
I think you will find the law was changed after that abdication..
From what I can see...
In the UK, the laws governing abdication are primarily defined by the "His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936", which essentially states that a monarch can only abdicate through an Act of Parliament, meaning both the House of Commons and House of Lords must pass legislation to formalize the abdication; this act was passed in response to King Edward VIII's abdication to marry Wallis Simpson.
So I don't think from that the King can abdicate because he changes his mind etc...so he is there until death..
Buzz might be able to throw some more light on it..
King Charles III hints at abdicating throne for Prince William
LINK -> King Charles III hints at abdicating throne for Prince William
I think abdication is still very much a possibility , even with the legal hoops that would have to be jumped through in government, and i doubt they would deny the king his wishes if there is an heir present to continue the line .
And the choice is up to the sovereign at the time , Charles likely has the most understandable reasons in my view , being his age and his physical health . And seeing how unpopular he is with some , that could play a factor in going into retirement for him personally , and still serve the crown .
With everything that has transpired in his life , he may just think retirement and stepping down would be better for the "firm " and himself .
Abdication is not unheard of for a younger heir in the world , nor is it unprecedented in the British monarchy , i found at least 3 others that abdicated and one "almost" abdication due to health in the british monarchy alone .
Richard the II, James the II , Mary queen of Scots , and the almost was George III, the purple pisser .
All abdicated for one reason or another except geo , but he was willing to .
Evening Mark...we live in hope..
That's true !!
Seems to me that a lot of people around the world do for one reason or another.
No one can make liberal heads explode like Trump. One comment possibly designed to make their hair start on fire and so many on the left start using leftover lighter fluid from his first administration and look for matches.
And then they say he "faces backlash". Yep, but only from the crazies that listen to every word he says and look for a reason to be outraged.
What really baffles me is that there are people who are intelligent enough to type a comment on NT who criticize those who are for so many good reasons critical of Trump.
It baffles me that there are some valid reasons to criticize Trump and they chose to go after a Trump troll.
It is almost like they can't help themselves for some reason.
Same here !!
I would assume same from all of us from the Commonwealth.