President Trump has now made clear he believes he is above the law, posting on social media, “He who saves his country does not violate any Law.”

This is not the first time that the U.S. has faced the danger of a president ignoring the law and potentially even defying a court order. Over 50 years ago, we escaped that risk during Watergate. But unless the public better understands the dangers of an “I am above the law” president, the result today will not be the same.

In October 1973, the Court of Appeals in Washington upheld a District Court order directing President Richard Nixon to turn over tapes of presidential conversations to Watergate Special Prosecutor Archibald Cox. Would he comply with the court order?

Nixon directed the special prosecutor to accept a “compromise.” Cox said no and explained why the “compromise” was unworkable and non-compliant with the court order. The result was the so-called "Saturday Night Massacre," in which Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Deputy Attorney General William Ruckelshaus each resigned rather than follow Nixon's order to fire Cox. Solicitor General Robert........

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