President Trump said in a Sunday interview that he’s not sure whether he’s required to uphold the Constitution, drawing criticism from legal experts and lawmakers. During his conversation with NBC’s Kristen Welker on “Meet the Press,” Trump was asked whether he believes he must follow the Constitution, particularly in relation to a Supreme Court decision on deportations. He responded by deferring to Attorney General Pam Bondi and admitted, “I don’t know.”
Trump explained that he relies on legal counsel for interpretation of constitutional issues, saying his attorneys would follow the Court’s ruling. “What you said is not what I heard the Supreme Court said,” Trump told Welker. “They have a different interpretation.” When asked whether he agrees with Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent statement that both citizens and noncitizens are entitled to due process, Trump replied that he wasn’t sure, adding, “I’m not a lawyer.”
Welker pressed further, citing the Fifth Amendment, which guarantees due process. Trump replied, “I don’t know. It seems it might say that,” but emphasized that he was elected to remove what he called “dangerous” individuals from the country.
The comments sparked immediate backlash. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump had “admitted” he may not uphold the Constitution and labeled the remarks “as un-American as it gets.” The interview comes amid a legal standoff between the White House and the Supreme Court over the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man wrongfully removed to El Salvador. The Court has ordered the administration to facilitate his return to the U.S., but the White House has not taken action, citing ambiguity in the Court’s language.
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