Donald Trump again pressed the powers of the Office of the President to a potential legal breaking point, declaring his “authority is total” – a contention experts say is false as the president appears poised to set up a legal showdown over opening the country amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Minutes later, his vice president, Mike Pence, would only say under questioning about whether he agreed, that in times of war and crisis the powers of the presidency are “unquestionably plenary”.
But Mr Trump appeared to suggest the office has unlimited power at all times. Legal scholars on both side of the aisle dispute his contention, although the president does possess broad war powers.
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