Fact check: Why are people saying trump wants to be a king

1. Summary of the results

People are saying Trump wants to be a king based on several concrete actions and statements that have occurred throughout 2025. Trump himself posted "LONG LIVE THE KING" on his social media platform, and the White House shared a fake magazine cover depicting him wearing a crown ^[1]. These symbolic gestures have fueled public perception of monarchical aspirations.

More substantively, Trump has made claims about having unlimited presidential authority, with a federal judge warning that accepting such assertions would create a "slippery slope" toward monarchy ^[2]. Trump has stated he has "the right to do whatever he wants as president" ^[3], which critics interpret as a desire for absolute power similar to a monarch.

California Governor Gavin Newsom directly stated "The President is not a king and is not above the law" in response to a court decision allowing Trump to retain control of the California National Guard ^[4]. This reaction demonstrates how Trump's exercise of executive power is being perceived as overreaching traditional presidential boundaries.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The analyses reveal broader concerns about authoritarianism rather than just monarchy. Hundreds of political scientists believe the United States is moving toward authoritarianism under Trump's leadership, with comparisons to competitive authoritarianism in countries like Hungary and Turkey ^[5]. Former President Barack Obama has warned that the US is "dangerously close to normalizing behavior" seen in authoritarian regimes ^[6].

Notably, criticism is coming from within Trump's own party. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski has publicly questioned Trump's motivations and suggested the country may be drifting toward authoritarianism ^[7], indicating this isn't merely partisan opposition.

Trump has used executive power and emergency declarations to impose tariffs and expand presidential authority ^[8], which represents a pattern of centralizing power and undermining separation of powers ^[3]. This systematic approach to expanding executive authority provides context for why the "king" comparison has gained traction.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself doesn't contain misinformation but may oversimplify the issue. The "king" framing, while based on Trump's own social media posts and symbolic imagery ^[1], may distract from the more serious constitutional concerns about expanding presidential authority beyond traditional limits ^[3].

The question implies this is merely what "people are saying" rather than acknowledging that these concerns are being raised by federal judges ^[2], sitting governors ^[4], former presidents ^[6], and members of Trump's own party ^[7]. This framing could minimize the legitimacy of these constitutional concerns by presenting them as mere public opinion rather than institutional warnings about democratic norms.