A federal appeals court ruled that Donald Trump does not have presidential immunity in the January 6 case brought against him.
According to the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, there is no basis for Trump to claim he has presidential immunity.
“We cannot accept that the office of the Presidency places its former occupants above the law for all time thereafter,” the panel wrote, according to CNBC.
“For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant,” they added in the opinion. “But any executive immunity that may have protected him while he served as President no longer protects him against this prosecution.”
“At bottom, former President Trump’s stance would collapse our system of separated powers by placing the President beyond the reach of all three Branches,” the panel wrote. “Presidential immunity against federal indictment would mean that, as to the President, the Congress could not legislate, the Executive could not prosecute and the Judiciary could not review.”
It is expected that Trump will appeal the case to the Supreme Court.
Trump Campaign spokesman Steven Cheung issued a statement after the ruling, saying, “If immunity is not granted to a President, every future President who 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! Deranged Jack Smith’s prosecution of President Trump for his Presidential, official acts is unconstitutional under the doctrine of Presidential Immunity and the Separation of Powers.”
“Prosecuting a President for official acts violates the Constitution and threatens the bedrock of our Republic,” he continued. “President Trump respectfully disagrees with the DC Circuit’s decision and will appeal it in order to safeguard the Presidency and the Constitution.”
