President Trump began the week, as is his wont, by having a Twitter fit about the continuing Russia investigation.

“As has been stated by numerous legal scholars, I have the absolute right to PARDON myself, but why would I do that when I have done nothing wrong?” Mr. Trump groused. “In the meantime, the never ending Witch Hunt, led by 13 very Angry and Conflicted Democrats (& others) continues into the mid-terms!”

The monarchical grandeur of Mr. Trump’s assertion that he has the power to pardon himself raised eyebrows and prompted sputtering among his critics, but it shouldn’t really have shocked anyone. It has long been clear that Mr. Trump confuses the role and powers of the president with those of a king. His legal team, regrettably, seems to be actively fueling this confusion, as revealed in the recently leaked memos that it sent to the special counsel, Robert Mueller, the theme of which more or less boils down to the Nixonian musing: “When the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.”

Arguably more noteworthy, and more troubling, is the president’s emerging effort to pre-emptively place the blame for what promises to be a tough election cycle for congressional Republicans on what he now regularly denounces as the partisan, “rigged,” “unconstitutional” machinations of Mr. Mueller and his investigative team. Message to the nation: Don’t blame me if my party takes a beating in November. The Witch Hunters are busy manipulating the system.