Donald Trump proclaims himself King of the United States

This image of Donald Trump wearing a monarch's crown was shared on February 19th on the official X account of the White House! This surprising illustration was accompanied by an equally unusual text.

The post on X referred to Trump's decision to block charging a fee to enter Manhattan. The White House proclaimed: "Congestion pricing is dead. Manhattan and all of New York is saved. Long live the King!"

This is how New York Governor, Democrat Kathy Hochul, displayed the image (emulating a TIME cover) released by the White House. She and other members of the American political class were surprised.

Prior to the illustrated post from the White House, via Truth Social, it was Donald Trump himself who had written "long live the King!" referring to himself.

As NBC News recalled, it is no coincidence that Trump's monarchical proclamation comes when "critics accuse him of exceeding his constitutional authority."

Benjamin Oreskes writes in The New York Times that "President Trump is famous for his love of all things gold and other regal adornments."

But beyond the taste for ostentation, there is a political meaning in Trump's messages suggesting he is a modern king.

Trump is trying to impose his criteria at all levels of the administration: he wants New York to be unable to legislate by imposing tariffs to improve traffic and improve the environment.

Given the measures he proposes, Trump believes he has the right to govern cities and states from the White House, over mayors and governors.

Donald Trump is emerging as a kind of new king of the United States, but also, if we consider his foreign policy, the emperor of a power that, in his world view, has the prerogative to impose conditions on Ukraine or the European Union. A new historical era is beginning.

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