Former President Trump warned of the consequences of losing his presidential immunity argument, saying that if he loses that protection, so will ‘crooked’ President Joe Biden.
The former president and presumptive Republican presidential nominee argued that presidential immunity is essential to the proper functioning of the presidency in a Friday post to his Truth Social account.
‘Without presidential immunity, it would be impossible for a president to properly function, putting the United States of America in great and everlasting danger!’ he posted, in all capital letters. ‘If they take away my presidential immunity, they take away crooked Joe Biden’s presidential immunity.’
The Supreme Court of the United States is expected to hear arguments on presidential immunity Thursday, and eventually rule on whether Trump is immune from prosecution on charges stemming from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s election interference investigation.
Trump pleaded not guilty to charges brought by Smith, and has claimed presidential immunity.
Trump said that without immunity from prosecution, the presidency ‘will lose its power and prestige, and under some leaders, have no power at all.’
‘The Presidency will be consumed by the other Branches of Government. That is not what our founders wanted!’ he wrote.
In another post, Trump argued that if a president does not have immunity, ‘the Opposing Party, during his/her term in Office, can extort and blackmail the President by saying that, ‘if you don’t give us everything we want, we will Indict you for things you did while in Office,’ even if everything done was totally Legal and Appropriate.’
‘That would be the end of the Presidency, and our Country, as we know it, and is just one of the many Traps there would be for a President without Presidential Immunity,’ Trump posted.
Pointing to his presidential predecessors, and 2020 and 2024 opponent Biden, Trump said: ‘Obama, Bush, and soon, Crooked Joe Biden, would all be in BIG TROUBLE.’
‘If a President doesn’t have IMMUNITY, he/she will be nothing more than a ‘Ceremonial’ President, rarely having the courage to do what has to be done for our Country,’ Trump continued, calling for the protection of presidential immunity. ‘MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!’
Trump added that if immunity is not granted to a president, ‘every president that leaves office will be immediately indicted by the opposing party.’
‘Without complete immunity, a president of the United States would not be able to properly function,’ he said again.
Trump posted about the issue on his Truth Social platform while he sat in a New York City courtroom for day four of his criminal trial stemming from charges brought against him by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Bragg charged Trump last year with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges are related to alleged hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Trump and his attorneys sought to delay the trial, which began Monday, until after the Supreme Court ruled on the issue of presidential immunity on April 25. That request was denied.
Trump is required to be in court every day for the criminal trial, which is expected to last through early June. Court for the criminal trial is expected for every day except Wednesdays, and Monday, April 29.
Trump and his attorneys argued that the former president should be able to attend the Supreme Court arguments on immunity next Thursday, but Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over the trial, denied that request as well.
‘Arguing before the Supreme Court is a big deal, and I can certainly appreciate why your client would want to be there, but a trial in New York Supreme Court … is also a big deal,’ Merchan said this week, rebuffing Trump lawyer Todd Blanche’s request.
Merchan added, ‘I will see him here next week.’
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has said it would fast-track the appeal, and a ruling on the issue of presidential immunity is expected by mid-June.
Trump’s criminal trial on charges brought against him by Smith has been put on hold pending resolution on the matter.
Smith charged the former president with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights. Those charges stemmed from Smith’s investigation into whether Trump was involved in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and any alleged interference in the 2020 election result.
Trump pleaded not guilty to all charges in August.
This will be the second time this term the Supreme Court will hear a case involving the presumed Republican presidential nominee.
Last month, the Supreme Court sided unanimously with the 2024 presumptive Republican nominee in his challenge to Colorado’s attempt to kick him off the 2024 primary ballot.
The high court ruled in favor of Trump’s arguments in the case, which will impact the status of efforts in several other states to remove the likely GOP nominee from their respective ballots.
The court considered for the first time the meaning and reach of Article 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bars former officeholders who ‘engaged in insurrection’ from holding public office again. Challenges have been filed to remove Trump from the 2024 ballot in over 30 states.