President Donald Trump said in an interview with Axios on Thursday that he sees virtually no constraints on his authority, declaring there are “no limits” to his power when asked whether he has discovered any boundaries to what he can do.
“I haven’t learned that lesson yet,” Trump said. “I know there are, but there are no limits.”
His remarks came amid uncertainty over whether his memorandum of understanding with Iran will help bring an end to the three-and-a-half-month conflict.
The agreement is expected to be signed this weekend, although the schedule remains uncertain and few details have been publicly confirmed about the ceremony.
Trump also projected that same forceful self-image during this week’s Group of Seven summit. As he took his seat on Wednesday, he bluntly told fellow world leaders: “I’m the boss.”
Later Thursday, the president shared a two-page memo on social media asserting that his influence surpasses that of several major historical figures, including Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Adolf Hitler, Mao Zedong and Joseph Stalin.
Those notorious men, the document written by ‘presidential historian’ Dave King states, only had local power; Trump by comparison has ‘global reach.’
King, who is reportedly not a historian but a caddy for Trump’s golf buddy Gary Player, wrote: ‘They had nowhere near the control over modern logistics, manpower, technology and the Global Economic Muscle that Trump can enforce.’
President Donald Trump has shown those in his inner circle a document claiming he has more power than famous world leaders like Alexander the Great, Hitler, Mao and Stalin
Entering a meeting on Wednesday with world leaders from the G7, Trump entered and bluntly stated ‘I’m the boss’
Trump has told those close to him that he’s more powerful than Napoleon Bonaparte
‘Sounds good to me!’ Trump celebrated in his social media post about being more powerful than the strongmen.
According to the forthcoming book ‘Regime Change’ by the New York Times’ Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan, Trump has been triumphantly showing off the document to those in his inner circles.
The President has been known to read from it, ‘reciting the names of some of history’s most powerful figures’ and explaining how they ‘fell short of his own power as US President.’
‘They didn’t have airplanes, right? You couldn’t travel around,’ Trump reportedly said of Alexander the Great, the Caesars of Rome and William the Conqueror.
Trump relished being more powerful than Napoleon and ‘the evident pleasure he took in the company of Mao, Hitler, and Stalin’ was clear.
Pressed by Axios on who he believes are the world’s current strongest leaders, Trump named China’s Xi Jinping and India’s Narendra Modi as those he most admires.
The Republican has expressed fascination with how the two Asian leaders manage countries with over a billion citizens, often referring to them as overseers of billions of people.
‘He controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist,’ Trump said of Xi in October 2024. ‘He’s a brilliant guy whether you like it or not.’
‘He controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist,’ Trump said of Xi in October 2024. ‘He’s a brilliant guy whether you like it or not.’ Above they are shown meeting in China in May
‘I do think India plays a big role in everything. As long as he’s the leader, India is going to play a big role,’ Trump said of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week
But one power looms larger than the President, Trump admits: the economy.
Trump told the outlet that prolonging the Iran war could set off a ‘worldwide depression’ and that falling oil prices and a stock market at all-time highs show that his decision to wrap up the conflict is being well received.
Out of all the leaders Trump does not want to be compared to, the 1930s depression-era President Herbert Hoover tops the list.
‘I have one primary wish as president … I never want to be the late, great Herbert Hoover,’ Trump said.
