The most blatantly illiberal statement ever made by a US President? And who is the Schmittian behind the curtain?

Three thoughts from a political theorist:

1. This is quite possibly the most directly illiberal thing ever said by a US president. I’m hard-pressed to find a more damning quote.

2. People keep attributing the quote to Napoleon, but the Nazi political theorist Carl Schmitt is the figure most famous for arguments about the “[state of exception](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_exception).” Woof.

3. I find it difficult to believe that Trump himself wrote this, which makes this statement all the more sinister. Who is the Palpatine-esque Schmittian in his ear? Musk? Vance?

Then quit bitching about the “Biden crime family”.