President Donald Trump says he could have harmed political opponents, arguing that he has the power to do “whatever I want.” Speaking in the Oval Office when asked about whether Democrats would try to impeach him if they regain control of Congress, Trump cited past targets including Hillary Clinton, President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama, saying he “could’ve done” “very bad things” to them.
The outlets report that Trump framed his comments around Democrats’ impeachment actions, saying he thought it would be inappropriate to retaliate but later referenced that he was impeached twice. The Independent and The Hill describe the remarks as a direct response to questions about impeachment prospects, while The New Republic adds context by characterizing the statements as part of a broader pattern of contentious rhetoric toward political enemies. The reports all note that the remarks come amid a period of heightened political focus around congressional elections.
