New York Governor Kathy Hochul expressed disbelief on Monday regarding President Trump’s recent interview comments, where he implied uncertainty about adhering to the U.S. Constitution.
“It’s shocking and reveals everything about this presidency and the individual in question. He seems indifferent to the Constitution, and that’s concerning,” Hochul remarked during an interview with CNN News Central.
In the NBC News program “Meet the Press,” Trump avoided direct responses to inquiries about the Supreme Court and the rights of non-citizens to a trial.
When moderator Kristen Welker brought up the Fifth Amendment, Trump said, “I don’t know. That’s what I’m saying. If we’re discussing this, then we might need millions of trials,” suggesting there are “thousands” of murderers across the nation.
Welker pressed, asking, “Given those figures, does the president not need to uphold the U.S. Constitution?”
“I don’t know,” Trump responded. “I have excellent lawyers who will surely follow what the Supreme Court dictates.”
Hochul criticized Trump’s statements further, asserting that he essentially dismissed the necessity of understanding the obligations tied to the oath of office regarding the Constitution.
“I took that same oath 31 years ago when I ran for Town Board,” she reflected. “I was aware of my responsibility to uphold the Constitution. Here’s a president who has taken that oath more than once and still seems to misunderstand the constraints of his role.”
“He must adhere to it, or else the democracy that we’ve nurtured for 250 years could be at risk, and we cannot allow that.”
