One day after Donald Trump's lawyers argued in federal court that absent a congressional conviction, a president would be criminally immune from ordering Seal Team Six to assassinate a political rival, Trump had a chance to weigh in on the absurd assertion himself.
Asked if he agreed with his attorneys' contention, Trump said, in short, yes.
"On immunity, very simple, if a president of the United States does not have immunity, he'll be totally ineffective because he won't be able to do anything," Trump said, "because it will mean he will be prosecuted—strongly prosecuted perhaps—as soon as he leaves office by his—by the opposing party."
"So a president of the United States," Trump continued, "I'm not talking just me—I'm talking any president—has to have immunity."
In essence, in Trump's telling, a president must have absolute immunity in order to function. How convenient … not to mention false. Actually, autocrats, authoritarians, and fascist rulers need absolute immunity to be effective, not presidents.
When President Joe Biden was asked about the matter in December, he said he "can't think of one reason" for total presidential immunity from criminal prosecution.
Trump can likely think of a lot of reasons: extortion, grifting from the White House, and losing an election all come to mind.
There are a lot of reasons to need absolute immunity as president when criming comes as naturally as breathing. That's the difference between a president who views himself as a servant of the people and a president who views himself as the people’s overlord.
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Asked if he agreed with his attorneys' contention, Trump said, in short, yes.
"On immunity, very simple, if a president of the United States does not have immunity, he'll be totally ineffective because he won't be able to do anything," Trump said, "because it will mean he will be prosecuted—strongly prosecuted perhaps—as soon as he leaves office by his—by the opposing party."
"So a president of the United States," Trump continued, "I'm not talking just me—I'm talking any president—has to have immunity."
In essence, in Trump's telling, a president must have absolute immunity in order to function. How convenient … not to mention false. Actually, autocrats, authoritarians, and fascist rulers need absolute immunity to be effective, not presidents.
When President Joe Biden was asked about the matter in December, he said he "can't think of one reason" for total presidential immunity from criminal prosecution.
Trump can likely think of a lot of reasons: extortion, grifting from the White House, and losing an election all come to mind.
There are a lot of reasons to need absolute immunity as president when criming comes as naturally as breathing. That's the difference between a president who views himself as a servant of the people and a president who views himself as the people’s overlord.
Campaign Action