He literally said.. " I can do whatever I want" and that he is now going to impose even more stricter tariffs (paraphrasing about tariffs).. Made it clear he will defy the SC. He needs to be removed now. Hecwas truly himself.. The unhinged self.. In front to the whole world. Maybe the SC will revoke his blanket immunity. Maybe Congress will now function. He is a clear and present danger.
That “I can do whatever I want” line is the reveal...less about tariffs, more about entitlement.
A president getting told “no” by the Supreme Court and responding like limits don’t apply...is a REAL danger sign.
The real test now is whether institutions act like brakes: courts enforce their rulings, Congress uses its powers...and officials refuse to carry out illegal orders. When he talks like this, it stops being policy...it becomes whether the rule of law...is still real.
This Supreme Court ruled that trump can do what Ever he wants, so I really don't see this Tariff ruling going anywhere. Great article, Jack, TGIF to you and your readers and will reStack ASAP 🙏
It's interesting, Laura...how pedophiles/sexual predators... are like magnets...drawn to each other by a seemingly irresistible force; one that's like an inner voice saying, "Hey...you're JUST LIKE ME!"
“The courage to do what’s right for our country.” “Our country” always means “what I want”. That’s the true meaning. “Lose our country” = Lose what I want. “Won’t have our/a country” = won’t have what I want. Like that. In his disordered mind, he is the country. Never forget that.
When he says “what’s right for our country,” he’s not talking about the Constitution...or families’ cost of living...or the long-term stability of anything. Hell no.
He’s talking about alignment with HIS will...and he wraps it in “country” language...to make it sound noble. He's so full of shit.
That’s why his phrases always translate the same way:
“Lose our country” = I lose control.
“We won’t have a country” = I won’t get my way.
“Do what’s right” = do what I want.
And...the most important line you wrote is the last one: in his mind, he is the country.
That’s the psychological core of the WHOLE performance...treating disagreement as betrayal...limits as sabotage...and checks on power as attacks on “America.”
Ultimately, "Father Time" will bring an end to his life...just as it does for all of us. From that, there is no escape. In the meantime, our courts will serve as "checks," but continue to demonstrate that...unfortunately...they are not the enforcement arm of their rulings.
Yes...I agree: The phrase "all men are created equal" certainly didn't factor in DJT. Genetically, he's in the deficit column.
He wasn’t ashamed because they misread the Constitution. He was “ashamed” because they didn’t give him what he wanted. In his framework...“courage” doesn’t mean fidelity to law... it means loyalty to HIM.
So...when they ruled against him...it wasn’t a legal disagreement. It was, in his mind...a failure of nerve. A BETRAYAL.
“How dare they?” is right...not because they defied the country...but...because they defied him. And that distinction is everything.
That's almost exactly what he said on J6 about Pence when Pence held to the Constitution... and he didn't care how much he put Pence's life at risk. He doesn't care about ours either.
“I don’t need to “. It was a true picture of who he is, now the concern is while he’s unraveling, he’ll be more unpredictable. Who’s going to stop him?
Mary Lockhart, that “I don’t need to” line is chilling because it’s so revealing.
It’s not defiance in the abstract. It’s a worldview: consent is optional...Congress is ornamental...limits are inconveniences.
When someone talks like that after losing at the Supreme Court...it naturally raises the question you’re asking: if he feels cornered, does he become more unpredictable?
That concern is understandable. Because...the answer is, yes.
But...here’s the grounding piece: presidents don’t act alone. Orders move through layers ...lawyers...military commanders...agency heads...courts...Congress. Those layers matter.
They slow things. They challenge things. They sometimes...REFUSE things. The system is built with FRICTION... on purpose.
The real test isn’t whether he talks like he doesn’t need anyone. It’s whether the people and institutions around him...behave as if he does.
That’s what to watch for.
I have to say, our institutions have held better than many (especially Republicans) thought they would. We've seen some surprises...even in those moments the nation feared we had crossed the point of no return. I think we'll see more of the surprises we need to see.
When, exactly? From who, specifically? Those are questions that matter...and...we don't necessarily need the answers to them prior to finding out. It would be nice...yes...but...I'll take them if they come. And...I believe they will.
You're welcome, Mary. It will be a true test, that's for sure. It will definitely give us a peek at how successful he's been at eliminating the resistance among the ranks.
I hear you, Chrissy. Here's a phrase I used repeatedly with those who walked into my office for almost 30 years:
"You have felt exhausted, and...because of a new understanding...and way of cognitively sorting...we are creating....now....the more you begin to feel exhausted...the more you'll feel a delightfully surprising surge of....FORWARD MOMENTUM...that will course through every cell of your body....because...as your mind has changed...now....your body caught up to the changes...and things are better than they were...back then...before you started experiencing these surges of grit...determination...unrelenting persistence...and a sense of getting stronger every day. Now....take in a deep breath....and feel an appreciation for these changes that continue occurring within you...now."
I wouldn't tell you (or others reading my reply to your comment) to read that a couple of times each day, but...if you did...I certainly wouldn't be upset about it. :)
SCOTUS, and the rest of the world don't realize that he has no use for Congress. They can try to put limits on the monster now, but it won't work. They created the beast with unlimited power. Now we all have to deal with the consequences. They fed the insatiable ego and we are paying the price. Institutions will still bend. Oligarchs gonna oligarch. And to hell with the rest of us.
Andrea Spissinger (I like that name, by the way)... yes.
I get the anger. It has often felt like the guardrails failed...and fed the ego.
But...I’d underline one grounding point: no president has “unlimited power.” Immunity language and bluster don’t erase Congress’s purse...agency processes...lower courts, states...elections.
Power is still layered and conditional...even when abused.
Now, if you told me, "Jack, G'damnit...but they're not STOPPING him!" I wouldn't argue with you...OR...your intensity. I would not.
I would say, however...that while they aren't stopping him...at least in the manner that would seem just to most of us...they are slowing him. That's important. Time is the one thing we absolutely must have....for anything meaningful to happen.
You’re also right about the dynamic...deference emboldens...oligarchs protect themselves...institutions can bend. But...they don’t bend uniformly...they fracture. Some comply...some resist...some slow-walk...some sue...some refuse.
Your last line is key: "that’s his take." He believes everyone folds. It only becomes true if enough people ACT like it’s already over. It's not. Far from it.
Thanks Jack! We've talked before, in your early tw**ter days!
I'm glad to be here. I lurked for a long time, and it's kinda weird having my name out there because of my job, but, don't really think my clients even know what a substack is!!!
“Their decision is incorrect. But it doesn’t matter because we have very powerful alternatives.” It's the phrase within the line "it doesn't matter" that is most worrisome for me. It's Trump's calm dismissal of the Supreme Court's decision here. He doesn’t argue with the Court. He simply moves past it. He regards their decision as informational, a temporary barrier to his endpoint conviction and Executive Chief role that he alone determines the legitimacy of tariff actions, not the Supreme Court nor Congress. In his mind, the presidency retains underlying entitlement to outcomes, regardless of the legal reasoning.
We knew this, but he didn’t. It’s just struck him that even though the Supreme Court’s ruling in 2024 that Presidents have absolute immunity for all official acts isn’t carte blanche for presidential actions. He mentally impaired and believes he is omnipotent. Suddenly he is a two-year old who’s been told “no”. He is throwing a tantrum.
I still can't understand why Republicans are afraid of him now. Let him rant and rave about them. They should just laugh because he is destroying himself and most of them know that. They might have a better chance of reelection if they start voting against him now.
I agree with you, Karen. They're better off when he doesn't endorse them. He's the kiss of death now. And it's only going to get worse. He can't stay on message. He's stuck in 2020. His loss. His ego can't handle it so he creates alternate realities.And the most maga among them are starting to see through his bullshit. The cracks are opening wider and the walls are closing in. He's toast.
Jack Hopkins is right: the Supreme Court didn’t just block Trump’s tariffs — it revealed how he sees power. Most presidents would recalibrate: work with Congress, respect limits, and reassure markets. Trump, however, responded as if the Court’s ruling were an insult, repeatedly signaling “YOU DON’T GET TO DO THAT” wasn’t a limit to obey but a challenge to overcome. He framed the Court as disloyal employees, praised dissenters as assets, smeared others with baseless claims, and declared he didn’t need Congress. The speech was less about tariffs and more about asserting personal dominance, turning institutions into props for his ego.
The concern is systemic. When a president treats constitutional limits as optional, each tested boundary invites more overreach. Markets, families, and businesses bear the cost when governance is subordinated to spectacle. Hopkins’ analysis shows this isn’t fearmongering — it’s a sober look at the risks of ego-driven leadership.
He literally said.. " I can do whatever I want" and that he is now going to impose even more stricter tariffs (paraphrasing about tariffs).. Made it clear he will defy the SC. He needs to be removed now. Hecwas truly himself.. The unhinged self.. In front to the whole world. Maybe the SC will revoke his blanket immunity. Maybe Congress will now function. He is a clear and present danger.
Sher'...you’re not imagining it.
That “I can do whatever I want” line is the reveal...less about tariffs, more about entitlement.
A president getting told “no” by the Supreme Court and responding like limits don’t apply...is a REAL danger sign.
The real test now is whether institutions act like brakes: courts enforce their rulings, Congress uses its powers...and officials refuse to carry out illegal orders. When he talks like this, it stops being policy...it becomes whether the rule of law...is still real.
#HoldFast!
-Jack
This Supreme Court ruled that trump can do what Ever he wants, so I really don't see this Tariff ruling going anywhere. Great article, Jack, TGIF to you and your readers and will reStack ASAP 🙏
Thanks for hearing and understanding me Jack... 👍
SIGH...Have been waiting for 10 years for someone to take over and shut him up.
House arrest. Gag order.
At least.
🗽🇺🇲🇺🇦
Will do.
Exactly.
For me, I’m noting his praise for Kavanagh, a fellow sexual predator.
It's interesting, Laura...how pedophiles/sexual predators... are like magnets...drawn to each other by a seemingly irresistible force; one that's like an inner voice saying, "Hey...you're JUST LIKE ME!"
-Jack
“The courage to do what’s right for our country.” “Our country” always means “what I want”. That’s the true meaning. “Lose our country” = Lose what I want. “Won’t have our/a country” = won’t have what I want. Like that. In his disordered mind, he is the country. Never forget that.
Chichi...you read that exactly right.
When he says “what’s right for our country,” he’s not talking about the Constitution...or families’ cost of living...or the long-term stability of anything. Hell no.
He’s talking about alignment with HIS will...and he wraps it in “country” language...to make it sound noble. He's so full of shit.
That’s why his phrases always translate the same way:
“Lose our country” = I lose control.
“We won’t have a country” = I won’t get my way.
“Do what’s right” = do what I want.
And...the most important line you wrote is the last one: in his mind, he is the country.
That’s the psychological core of the WHOLE performance...treating disagreement as betrayal...limits as sabotage...and checks on power as attacks on “America.”
-Jack
Will this scum ever be stopped? He is the most vile person I have ever witnessed.
Ultimately, "Father Time" will bring an end to his life...just as it does for all of us. From that, there is no escape. In the meantime, our courts will serve as "checks," but continue to demonstrate that...unfortunately...they are not the enforcement arm of their rulings.
Yes...I agree: The phrase "all men are created equal" certainly didn't factor in DJT. Genetically, he's in the deficit column.
-Jack
I had a good laugh with your last sentence above, Jack.
'He opened by saying he was “ashamed” of certain justices for not having the “courage” to do what he wanted.' What he wanted. How dare they?
Jan Moon...exactly.
That’s the tell.
He wasn’t ashamed because they misread the Constitution. He was “ashamed” because they didn’t give him what he wanted. In his framework...“courage” doesn’t mean fidelity to law... it means loyalty to HIM.
So...when they ruled against him...it wasn’t a legal disagreement. It was, in his mind...a failure of nerve. A BETRAYAL.
“How dare they?” is right...not because they defied the country...but...because they defied him. And that distinction is everything.
-Jack
That's almost exactly what he said on J6 about Pence when Pence held to the Constitution... and he didn't care how much he put Pence's life at risk. He doesn't care about ours either.
BINGO, Sher'. Perfect example.
-Jack
“I don’t need to “. It was a true picture of who he is, now the concern is while he’s unraveling, he’ll be more unpredictable. Who’s going to stop him?
Mary Lockhart, that “I don’t need to” line is chilling because it’s so revealing.
It’s not defiance in the abstract. It’s a worldview: consent is optional...Congress is ornamental...limits are inconveniences.
When someone talks like that after losing at the Supreme Court...it naturally raises the question you’re asking: if he feels cornered, does he become more unpredictable?
That concern is understandable. Because...the answer is, yes.
But...here’s the grounding piece: presidents don’t act alone. Orders move through layers ...lawyers...military commanders...agency heads...courts...Congress. Those layers matter.
They slow things. They challenge things. They sometimes...REFUSE things. The system is built with FRICTION... on purpose.
The real test isn’t whether he talks like he doesn’t need anyone. It’s whether the people and institutions around him...behave as if he does.
That’s what to watch for.
I have to say, our institutions have held better than many (especially Republicans) thought they would. We've seen some surprises...even in those moments the nation feared we had crossed the point of no return. I think we'll see more of the surprises we need to see.
When, exactly? From who, specifically? Those are questions that matter...and...we don't necessarily need the answers to them prior to finding out. It would be nice...yes...but...I'll take them if they come. And...I believe they will.
-Jack
Thanks for the clarification, my biggest concern is him deciding to go to war , I hope the military commanders are able to stop that
You're welcome, Mary. It will be a true test, that's for sure. It will definitely give us a peek at how successful he's been at eliminating the resistance among the ranks.
-Jack
Along with congress!
As always, his accusations are confessions: “swayed by foreign interests”
"Stranded"...exactly. Keen eye!
-Jack
He's going to be flailing big time like a toddler finally being told "no."
CC...correct. Exactly like a toddler.
-Jack
He’s so exhausting!
I hear you, Chrissy. Here's a phrase I used repeatedly with those who walked into my office for almost 30 years:
"You have felt exhausted, and...because of a new understanding...and way of cognitively sorting...we are creating....now....the more you begin to feel exhausted...the more you'll feel a delightfully surprising surge of....FORWARD MOMENTUM...that will course through every cell of your body....because...as your mind has changed...now....your body caught up to the changes...and things are better than they were...back then...before you started experiencing these surges of grit...determination...unrelenting persistence...and a sense of getting stronger every day. Now....take in a deep breath....and feel an appreciation for these changes that continue occurring within you...now."
I wouldn't tell you (or others reading my reply to your comment) to read that a couple of times each day, but...if you did...I certainly wouldn't be upset about it. :)
-Jack
Thank you Jack. From you, I always hear what I need to know. 🙏💜
You're most welcome, Chrissy Williams.
-Jack
SCOTUS, and the rest of the world don't realize that he has no use for Congress. They can try to put limits on the monster now, but it won't work. They created the beast with unlimited power. Now we all have to deal with the consequences. They fed the insatiable ego and we are paying the price. Institutions will still bend. Oligarchs gonna oligarch. And to hell with the rest of us.
At least that's his take on everything.
Andrea Spissinger (I like that name, by the way)... yes.
I get the anger. It has often felt like the guardrails failed...and fed the ego.
But...I’d underline one grounding point: no president has “unlimited power.” Immunity language and bluster don’t erase Congress’s purse...agency processes...lower courts, states...elections.
Power is still layered and conditional...even when abused.
Now, if you told me, "Jack, G'damnit...but they're not STOPPING him!" I wouldn't argue with you...OR...your intensity. I would not.
I would say, however...that while they aren't stopping him...at least in the manner that would seem just to most of us...they are slowing him. That's important. Time is the one thing we absolutely must have....for anything meaningful to happen.
You’re also right about the dynamic...deference emboldens...oligarchs protect themselves...institutions can bend. But...they don’t bend uniformly...they fracture. Some comply...some resist...some slow-walk...some sue...some refuse.
Your last line is key: "that’s his take." He believes everyone folds. It only becomes true if enough people ACT like it’s already over. It's not. Far from it.
I'm glad you're here, Andrea!
-Jack
Thanks Jack! We've talked before, in your early tw**ter days!
I'm glad to be here. I lurked for a long time, and it's kinda weird having my name out there because of my job, but, don't really think my clients even know what a substack is!!!
I've reached my limit of 🍊 for the day!
Have a great night!
Trump's most revealing line was:
“Their decision is incorrect. But it doesn’t matter because we have very powerful alternatives.” It's the phrase within the line "it doesn't matter" that is most worrisome for me. It's Trump's calm dismissal of the Supreme Court's decision here. He doesn’t argue with the Court. He simply moves past it. He regards their decision as informational, a temporary barrier to his endpoint conviction and Executive Chief role that he alone determines the legitimacy of tariff actions, not the Supreme Court nor Congress. In his mind, the presidency retains underlying entitlement to outcomes, regardless of the legal reasoning.
We knew this, but he didn’t. It’s just struck him that even though the Supreme Court’s ruling in 2024 that Presidents have absolute immunity for all official acts isn’t carte blanche for presidential actions. He mentally impaired and believes he is omnipotent. Suddenly he is a two-year old who’s been told “no”. He is throwing a tantrum.
he argued that the Court’s decision actually made presidential power “more powerful” and “more crystal clear,” not less.
I still can't understand why Republicans are afraid of him now. Let him rant and rave about them. They should just laugh because he is destroying himself and most of them know that. They might have a better chance of reelection if they start voting against him now.
I agree with you, Karen. They're better off when he doesn't endorse them. He's the kiss of death now. And it's only going to get worse. He can't stay on message. He's stuck in 2020. His loss. His ego can't handle it so he creates alternate realities.And the most maga among them are starting to see through his bullshit. The cracks are opening wider and the walls are closing in. He's toast.
We need to 25 trump, then impeach Vance immediately after he is sworn in.
Yeah but (perfect grammar) wouldn't we then be stuck with Holy Mike? Eeew!
Yuck.
Jack Hopkins is right: the Supreme Court didn’t just block Trump’s tariffs — it revealed how he sees power. Most presidents would recalibrate: work with Congress, respect limits, and reassure markets. Trump, however, responded as if the Court’s ruling were an insult, repeatedly signaling “YOU DON’T GET TO DO THAT” wasn’t a limit to obey but a challenge to overcome. He framed the Court as disloyal employees, praised dissenters as assets, smeared others with baseless claims, and declared he didn’t need Congress. The speech was less about tariffs and more about asserting personal dominance, turning institutions into props for his ego.
The concern is systemic. When a president treats constitutional limits as optional, each tested boundary invites more overreach. Markets, families, and businesses bear the cost when governance is subordinated to spectacle. Hopkins’ analysis shows this isn’t fearmongering — it’s a sober look at the risks of ego-driven leadership.