--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Trump hasn't really done anything yet to…" description: "\"Trump hasn't really done anything yet to abuse his powers. I don't even know if he knows what all his powers are as president. And that worries me. He ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/john-dean-22943_abuse_trump-hasn-t-really-done-anything-yet-to_1706058.jpg" --- # Trump hasn't really done anything yet to abuse his powers… ![“Trump hasn't really done anything yet to abuse his powers. I don't even know if he knows what all his powers are as president. And that worries me. He will learn. After he learns how the presidency works, he could become much more dangerous, because his personality doesn't change. Once presidents…” quote by John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/john-dean-22943_abuse_trump-hasn-t-really-done-anything-yet-to_1706058.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/john-dean-22943_abuse_trump-hasn-t-really-done-anything-yet-to_1706058.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1e/john-dean-22943_abuse_trump-hasn-t-really-done-anything-yet-to_1706058.jpg) > “Trump hasn't really done anything yet to abuse his powers. I don't even know if he knows what all his powers are as president. And that worries me. He will learn. After he learns how the presidency works, he could become much more dangerous, because his personality doesn't change. Once presidents find their powers, they don't give them up. They use them.” [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker warns that a president unfamiliar with limits may become dangerous once he learns how to wield power. **In simple terms:** A president may become more dangerous after learning his powers. Key Takeaway Beware of unchecked authority. Themes politics power leadership Mood concerned critical Type political warning When to use this quote - government oversight - public vigilance - media scrutiny - citizen activism Key Concepts authoritarianism institutional risk Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens ensure accountability? - What safeguards are effective? A Different Perspective Presidents often face institutional checks that can limit abuse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) ## Related quotes > [Government has within it a tendency to abuse its powers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-calhoun/government-has-within-it-a-tendency-to-abuse-its-powers/) [John C. Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-calhoun/) > [Donald Trump hasn't blown us up yet. But he terrifies me. For one thing, the incompetence. He doesn't have any real understanding of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/donald-trump-hasn-t-blown-us-up-yet-but-he-terrifies-me-for-one-thing/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [How can those who are invested with the power of government be prevented from the abuse of those powers as the means of aggrandizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-calhoun/how-can-those-who-are-invested-with-the-power-of-government-be/) [John C. Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-calhoun/) > [The Constitution of the United States doesn't change the powers of the president based on the number by which you get elected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-giuliani/the-constitution-of-the-united-states-doesn-t-change-the-powers-of/) [Rudy Giuliani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-giuliani/) > [“as a planned result of the separation of powers, the president must persuade Congress of the rightness of his choices, and that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-cashill/as-a-planned-result-of-the-separation-of-powers-the-president-must/) [Jack Cashill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-cashill/) > [I sit here all day trying to persuade people to do the things they ought to have the sense to do without my persuading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/i-sit-here-all-day-trying-to-persuade-people-to-do-the-things-they/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Barack Obama is not a man of The Gut, and it is driving official Washington crazy. This is a good thing, because resisting The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-pierce/barack-obama-is-not-a-man-of-the-gut-and-it-is-driving-official/) [Charlie Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-pierce/) > [ The Constitution expressly and exclusively vests in the Legislature the power of declaring a state of war \[and\] the power of raising armies… A… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/the-constitution-expressly-and-exclusively-vests-in-the-legislature/) [James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/) > [When the president acts in absence of a congressional grant of authority, he can rely only upon his own independent powers. When the president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/when-the-president-acts-in-absence-of-a-congressional-grant-of/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [ It was primary election, but \[Donald\] Trump hasn't spent a lot of money. Not compared to - I mean, Jeb Bush had a $115… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-was-primary-election-but-donald-trump-hasn-t-spent-a-lot-of-money/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ He \[Donald Trump\] hasn't shifted on a lot of the things that he had in common with his Republican opponents. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-goldberg/he-donald-trump-hasn-t-shifted-on-a-lot-of-the-things-that-he-had-in/) [Michelle Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-goldberg/) > [Donald Trump hasn't been specific, but if you go back over some of the campaign rhetoric, well, obviously, there's the bully pulpit, just publicly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ip/donald-trump-hasn-t-been-specific-but-if-you-go-back-over-some-of-the/) [Greg Ip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ip/) > [What joke can I say about Donald Trump that he hasn't said about himself? When he gets dressed, he comes out as Donald Trump.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-che/what-joke-can-i-say-about-donald-trump-that-he-hasn-t-said-about/) [Michael Che](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-che/) > [This is the Republican Party who has run against Russia for 80 years and you know, (Trump) hasn't mentioned (Putin) except in a positive way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-newman/this-is-the-republican-party-who-has-run-against-russia-for-80-years/) [Randy Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-newman/) > [I'm not sure Betsy DeVos has ever spent a day in a public school. And I don't - I'm pretty sure Donald Trump hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/i-m-not-sure-betsy-devos-has-ever-spent-a-day-in-a-public-school-and/) [Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/) ## More by John Dean > [History never exactly repeats itself, but it does some rather good impressions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/history-never-exactly-repeats-itself-but-it-does-some-rather-good/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [Doing time is like climbing a mountain wearing roller skates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/doing-time-is-like-climbing-a-mountain-wearing-roller-skates/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [We are all encouraged that Bush appears, really for the first time in his experience on the stage of presidential politics, relaxed. His comfort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/we-are-all-encouraged-that-bush-appears-really-for-the-first-time-in/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [Bush had expertise in one thing: How to run a Presidential campaign. He understands campaigns and Presidential politics. He has no interest or disposition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/bush-had-expertise-in-one-thing-how-to-run-a-presidential-campaign-he/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [I began by telling the president that there was a cancer growing on the presidency and that if the cancer was not removed the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/i-began-by-telling-the-president-that-there-was-a-cancer-growing-on/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [Warrantless wiretapping is an impeachable offense. It couldn't be any clearer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/warrantless-wiretapping-is-an-impeachable-offense-it-couldn-t-be-any/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [Had the Senate or House, or both, censured or somehow warned Richard Nixon, the tragedy of Watergate might have been prevented. Hopefully the Senate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/had-the-senate-or-house-or-both-censured-or-somehow-warned-richard/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [Who voted for Trump? Who are these people who, as he famously said, would let him shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and still support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/who-voted-for-trump-who-are-these-people-who-as-he-famously-said/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [There is only one thing Donald Trump is interested in, and that's Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/there-is-only-one-thing-donald-trump-is-interested-in-and-that-s/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [Granted, terrorism is a real problem everywhere. But you can't prevent it. Terrorists are nutcases who are hellbent on killing people for ideology. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/granted-terrorism-is-a-real-problem-everywhere-but-you-can-t-prevent/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [Bill Rehnquist makes Barry Goldwater look like a liberal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/bill-rehnquist-makes-barry-goldwater-look-like-a-liberal/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [To me the fact that a Vice President can go to Capitol Hill and lobby for torture is just unbelievable. Just unbelievable! The fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/to-me-the-fact-that-a-vice-president-can-go-to-capitol-hill-and-lobby/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [There's no good that can come out of secrecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/there-s-no-good-that-can-come-out-of-secrecy/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [There's a cancer on the presidency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/there-s-a-cancer-on-the-presidency/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) > [I've been surfing so many years and it's a pretty strong part of my life so I'm not gonna give that up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dean/i-ve-been-surfing-so-many-years-and-it-s-a-pretty-strong-part-of-my/) [John Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) [Explore all 26 John Dean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dean/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Trump hasn't really done anything yet to abuse his powers. I don't even know if he knows what all his powers are as president. And that worries me. He will learn. 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