Fact Check: Did Trump share alleged Napoleon quote, 'He who saves his country does not violate any law'?

WASHINGTON, DC: A claim has been making the rounds on the internet that President Donald Trump shared a controversial quote often attributed to French statesman Napoleon Bonaparte.

Napoleon, who crowned himself Emperor of the French in 1804, apparently said, "He who saves his Country does not violate any Law," but the quote's authenticity has been questioned. 

Chatter about Donald Trump's use of Napoleon Bonaparte's alleged quote

It all began earlier this month amid concerns that Donald Trump and his administration were ignoring federal court orders—specifically ones that put a freeze on spending tied to some of his executive orders. The whispers quickly turned into a rumor that Trump was justifying his actions with the idea that if you’re "saving the country," laws don’t apply to you.

It started gaining traction on Reddit and then spread quickly to Facebook and Bluesky. People weren't just speculating—they were furious.

One Bluesky user posted, "The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants."

Another chimed in sarcastically, "Good news, everyone! You get to do whatever you want! As long as you say you were trying to save the country, it’s all legal now."

"It's pure dictator talk. He's saying since he's saving the country by 'making it great again,' the law doesn't apply to him. He's announcing he's the dictator now," someone else offered.

Fact Check: Donald Trump did share the quote

It's worth noting that Trump did post the quote —twice, actually. He put it up on his platform Truth Social on Saturday, February 15, and just moments later he posted the same thing on X (formerly Twitter).

For those who recognize it, the quote is often linked to Napoleon Bonaparte. It originally appeared in 'Maximes et pensées de Napoléon', a book by French author Honore de Balzac, published in 1838—17 years after Napoleon's exile and death. 

In the book, Maxim 97 states in French: "Celui qui sauve sa patrie ne viole aucune loi"—which translates to "He who saves his fatherland violates no law." So, while it’s unclear if Napoleon actually said this, Balzac spent years compiling quotes and insights from Napoleon’s life.

He even corresponded with Napoleon's niece Letizia Bonaparte and was a major fan of the French leader, helping to build the legend around him, according to the fact-checking website Snopes.

Donald Trump doubles down with controversial portrait

If that wasn’t enough to stir controversy, Donald Trump doubled down the next day.

On Sunday, he posted a screenshot on Truth Social—and this one came with visuals. The image was a famous equestrian portrait of Napoleon by Jacques-Louis David, one of the five paintings from the Napoleon Crossing the Alps series. In it, Napoleon sits on a rearing horse and looks every bit the triumphant leader.

The screenshot wasn’t random—it was taken from an X post dated February 10, which shared the quote alongside a headline that read: "Judge rules Trump admin defying court order to release billions in grants: NYT."

That same day, John J McConnell Jr — a federal judge from Rhode Island — ruled that the Trump administration hadn’t fully complied with an order to unfreeze federal spending, per the Associated Press.

Rep Andrew Clyde (R-GA) announced on February 12 that he was drafting articles of impeachment against McConnell. 

Considering the timing, Trump's post wasn't exactly subtle.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.