Trump’s Fishing Ban Joke Signals a Serious Claim to Unlimited Power, Experts Say

President Donald Trump joked at a White House event that he could ban fishing to drive Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris out of business, a remark experts say signals a serious claim to unlimited presidential power despite being framed as humor. The joke came after Trump signed executive orders expanding hunting access and allowing lead ammunition, reversing a Biden-era ban. Law professors Ilya Somin and Kate Shaw said no legal basis exists for a national fishing ban, but Shaw called the statement part of a deliberate effort to convince the public there are no limits on presidential authority. Experts noted Trump has made similar remarks before, such as saying "we shouldn't even have an election," which aides dismissed as jokes. Brendan Nyhan said such statements normalize extreme abuses of power, while Somin pointed to Trump's broader actions on tariffs and war powers as evidence he is not joking.