He Who Thinks He Is Saying His Country —

Much has been made about Trump’s 2/15/2025 tweet “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.” However, what is worth noting about such a deceleration is not even the fundamental rejection of the concept of legality — nor the fact that it is a quote originated from Napoleon Bonaparte — but more what such a civilization which operated on this principal would function like in practice.

After the 4/15/1865 assassination of Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth — the actor who shot the President moments before — famously declared “Sic semper tyrannis” the motto of the state of Virginia — where the capitol of the Confederacy was located —and a Latin phrase that translates roughly to “thus always to tyrants.” Booth was under the impression that he was saving the nation, hence why he wanted to be known for this action. Although he could have easily slipped away without detection after shooting Lincoln — or even wore a mask to conceal his identity — he instead decided to jump down from the balcony where the President was sitting, and make everyone aware of what he did.

What makes this episode in history so worth discussing is because it shows where this logic could lead to. Booth was a firm sympathizer with the Confederacy, and therefore he found his actions to be the only way to save his country from the authoritarian President. This, it must be…