Irina Nesterova09:13, 20.02.25

US officials and politicians have criticised the president for calling himself a “king” on social media.

US President Donald Trump has called himself a “king” on social media after New York’s Manhattan congestion charge was scrapped, prompting criticism from US officials and politicians, The Guardian reports .

On February 19, Trump announced on his social media that he was canceling the toll in Manhattan, adding the words “Long live the King!” At the same time, an image of Trump wearing a crown allegedly appeared on the cover of Time magazine. The same post was also published on the official White House page on the X network.

“Congestion is dead. Manhattan and all of New York are saved. Long live the King!” it read.

New York Governor Kathy Gokul responded to Trump’s words by stressing that the United States is “a nation of laws, not a monarchy” and that Trump is “not a king.” She even threatened a lawsuit.

“Donald Trump is not a ‘king’ and we will not allow him to use New Yorkers as roadkill on his revenge tour. We will see him in court,” Gokul said.

New York City Councilman Justin Brannan also criticized Trump, reminding the president that his Justice Department ordered prosecutors to drop a federal corruption case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

“No matter what corrupt deal Donald Trump made with the mayor, he is not a king. Only fools submit to false authority. It is an illusion,” Brannan wrote in H.

Democratic Congressman Don Beyer also stated on social media that there are no kings in the United States.

There was also a reaction from Democratic National Committee Vice Chairman David Hogg, who mocked the situation, writing:

“Republicans: Stop overreacting and calling Trump a king. Literally the White House Twitter account.”

Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker delivered a state of the state address in which he also declared that “there are no kings in America.”

“As governor of Illinois, I pledge allegiance to the constitution of our state and our nation. We have no kings in America, and I will not stand before one,” he assured.

(c)UNIAN 2025