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‘Nation-destroying ruling’: Trump slams court for rejecting immunity claim, fears political implications
Donald Trump, the former US President, denounced the federal appeals decision dismissing his immunity claim as a "nation-destroying ruling".
Donald Trump, the former US President, denounced the federal appeals court's decision dismissing his immunity claim as a "nation-destroying ruling" and requested the court to reverse the decision in order to prevent further harm to the United States.
"A President of the United States must have Full Immunity in order to properly function and do what has to be done for the good of our Country," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday. "A nation-destroying ruling like this cannot be allowed to stand."
On Tuesday, a federal appeals court declared that Trump is not exempt from criminal prosecution. Following the ruling, Special Counsel Jack Smith is now able to prosecute Trump on the four felonies pertaining to his purported attempts to rig the 2020 election results.
In response, Trump declared that immunity was necessary for a president to "do what has to be done for the good of our country" and cautioned that in the absence of it, future American presidents would be "afraid to act for fear of the opposite Party's Vicious Retribution after leaving Office."
"I know from personal experience because I am going through it right now," the ex-US President said. “It will become a Political Weapon used for Election Interference. Even our Elections will be corrupted and under siege. So bad, and so dangerous for our Nation. SAVE PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY!”
Soon after the verdict was announced, Donald Jr., the eldest son of Trump, said on X (formerly Twitter) that he was not surprised by the verdict and that "partisan hackery" was nothing new to those who had been following Trump's legal issues.
Trump is not entitled to immunity from criminal charges
In the landmark legal case, Trump has argued that he was immune from prosecution for actions he believed were within the scope of his presidential authority. However, that claim was rejected by a three-judge panel on Tuesday.
"For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant," the judges wrote in their 57-page ruling, stating that “Former President Trump lacked any lawful discretionary authority to defy federal criminal law and he is answerable in court for his conduct.”
"We reject all three potential bases for immunity both as a categorical defense to federal criminal prosecutions of former Presidents and as applied to this case in particular," they said.
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The decision came as a major setback for the ex-US president who has been claiming presidential immunity while fighting several cases.
Trump (77) is anticipated to file an appeal against the decision, which means the case may land to the Supreme Court, where conservatives hold a 6-3 majority.
Trump is accused by US Special Counsel Jack Smith of committing fraud to maintain his position of power and of plotting to thwart Joe Biden's triumph in the 2020 election.
