US president addresses his restraint toward political rivals Clinton, Biden and Obama, citing respect for the office, then notes he was impeached twice and can still do whatever he wants
United States President Donald Trump addressed his relationship with his political rivals Wednesday in remarks delivered from the Oval Office at the White House.
"I could have done very bad things to Hillary Clinton," Trump began. "I could have done very, very bad things to Joe Biden. I could have done very bad things to Barack Hussein Obama."
The president then explained what held him back from taking such steps against his Democratic opponents. "I thought it wouldn't be appropriate to do that, because the institution of the presidency must be treated with respect," he said.
Trump, however, was quick to point out what he sees as a glaring lack of reciprocity from his rivals. "And then I discovered they impeached me, twice," he added, referring to the two impeachment proceedings he faced during his tenure.
In his remarks, the president stressed that his view of his own power and authority remains unchanged. "And to this moment, I can do whatever I want, if I choose to," Trump said, before going on to attack his opponents' past conduct.
"They did some very bad things. You just mentioned it, it was just brought up in the form of a question, what they did. Very illegal what they did, a lot of illegal things," the president claimed.
Despite these sharp accusations, Trump chose to close his remarks by returning to the principle he says guides him. "But I view the institution of the presidency as a very sacred role," he declared.
The comments came against the backdrop of a turbulent period in American political relations, as Trump continues to face criticism from his political opponents regarding his policies both domestically and internationally.
At the same time, the president's chief concern appears to be a scenario in which Democrats succeed in retaking control of Congress in the upcoming elections, when it seems all but certain they would launch impeachment proceedings against him in the House of Representatives, at minimum.
Join our newsletter to receive updates on new articles and exclusive content.
We respect your privacy and will never share your information.
