Former President Trump said after hearing arguments in Colorado’s effort to remove him from the state’s 2024 vote that he is a “believer” in America and a “believer” in the Supreme Court. Ta.
President Trump told reporters on Thursday that it would be “difficult” to rule against him based on poll numbers, but insisted he would “defer it” to the high court.
The U.S. Supreme Court appears skeptical of Colorado’s argument that President Trump should be removed from the state’s ballot due to “insurrection” related to the 2020 election and the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. is.
SCOTUS hears oral argument on Trump vote; justices appear skeptical of removal
For the first time, the court is considering the meaning and scope of Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment, which bars former officials “involved in rebellion” from holding public office again.
Trump has never been charged with inciting the riot.
Former President Donald Trump points at a supporter at the end of a campaign rally at the Atkinson Country Club on January 16, 2024 in Atkinson, New Hampshire. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
“I just finished looking at the Supreme Court…It’s unfortunate that we have to go through something like this,” Trump said at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago after oral arguments. “I think this is yet another election interference by the Democrats. That’s what they’re doing.”
Trump added: “The good news is we’re leading in almost every poll.”
The former president and 2024 Republican front-runner said he found Thursday’s Supreme Court hearing “a very beautiful process.”
“I hope that democracy in this country will continue because we are in a very difficult situation right now,” Trump said. “And all of the ideas of the radical left that involve weaponizing politics have weaponized politics as if it had never been weaponized before.”
President Trump said “every” lawsuit against him is “a fabrication.”
“It’s a shame for this country that we shouldn’t have worked with the Department of Justice and the White House to do something like that,” Trump said. “All these incidents that you see are coming out of the White House. It comes out of Biden. This is election interference, and it’s really, really sad. ”
People outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Washington, D.C., the day before arguments are heard on former President Donald Trump’s appeal of the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling that removed him from the state’s primary election ballot. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
President Trump said he felt his defense before the Supreme Court was “very good.”
“I think it was well received. I hope it was well received,” he said. “There are millions of people who want to vote, and they just happen to want to vote for me. Republicans, you can say whatever you want or want to represent, but I’m the one running. “And that’s what we’re doing.” “We’re leading in every poll. We’re leading in local polls, we’re leading in state polls, we’re leading in battleground state polls, we’re leading in national polls by a wide margin. ”
President Trump called his poll numbers “a great honor.”
“We love this country,” President Trump said. “I believe in our country and I believe in the Supreme Court. Listening to you today, I think our case is very strong.”
Trump said his claims were “very important.”
“The fact that you’re leading in every race, you’re leading in every state, you’re leading nationally against both Republicans and Democrats and against Biden. You’re leading in this country by a large margin. “I am,” Trump said. “So, can you take a guy who’s leading anywhere and say, ‘Hey, we’re not going to run you’? You know, I think that’s pretty difficult.”
27 states back Trump on Supreme Court; President Trump warns of “chaos” in 2024 if he is removed from the vote
He added, “But I’ll leave that to the Supreme Court.”
During his argument, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, appointed by President Biden, said he understood Colorado’s argument and said Section 3 of the 14th Amendment provides a list of people who can be banned. However, he pointed out that the president has refused to do so. Not one of them.
U.S. Supreme Court, November 15, 2023, Washington, DC (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)
“Why didn’t you include the word president in the highly enumerated list in Section 3?” Brown asked Colorado Voter Attorney Jason Murray. “What really bothers me, and I understand your point, is they listed people who were banned and the president wasn’t there. So they weren’t focusing on the president. I think he’s worried that I might have.”
Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution states, “No person shall hold any office under the United States…as a member of Congress or as an officer of the United States…who has sworn an oath to support…” It has been. Engaging in rebellion or insurrection contrary to the Constitution of the United States, or giving aid or comfort to enemies of the Constitution. ”
Justice Brett Kavanaugh spoke for his colleagues, saying they faced “difficult questions.”
Many of the questions revolve around whether state courts and elected officials can unilaterally enforce constitutional provisions and declare candidates unfit for office, a so-called “self-enforcement” power, or whether it is an exclusive power. The focus was on whether it was within the jurisdiction of the US Congress. Chief Justice John Roberts warned that there would be “pretty harsh consequences” if a disqualification process were brought against Democratic candidates “from the other side.”
“A significant number of states will say whoever the Democratic party is will be off the ballot,” Roberts said. “That would leave a small number of states deciding elections.”
Justice Elena Kagan questioned, “How can a single state decide who becomes president of the United States?” She calls it “very unusual.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
But Kagan also questioned whether it was “inconsistent” that the rule applied to other candidates for public office but not to Trump.
Fox News’ Bill Mears, Shannon Bream, Chris Pandolfo, Gabriele Regalbuto, Anders Hagstrom and Lawrence Richard contributed to this report.
