In a speech Monday night, President Biden slammed the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity in the case Trump v. United States, saying the ruling means there are effectively no limits on what the president can do.
The president spoke for less than five minutes — about four minutes and 40 seconds to be exact — before turning his back to the press and walking away.
“This is a fundamentally new principle and a dangerous precedent because it would mean that the power of judicial officers, including the United States Supreme Court, would no longer be constrained by the law,” Biden said.
The Supreme Court ruled that a former president was a major Immunity from prosecution It applies to official conduct done while in office, but not to unofficial conduct.
Trump immunity case: Supreme Court rules former presidents have broad protection from prosecution
Trump and Biden faced off last week in a rematch of a key debate leading up to the 2024 election. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images, left)
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court did not apply its ruling to whether former President Trump is immune from prosecution for conduct related to attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, and sent the issue back to a lower court.
Biden continued his speech by saying that the American people must decide whether Donald Trump’s attack on democracy on January 6 makes him “unfit” to hold public office or the nation’s highest office.
“The American people must decide whether it is acceptable for Trump to resort to violence to stay in power. Perhaps most importantly, the American people must decide whether they want to entrust the presidency to Donald Trump again. He will now be even more emboldened to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, how he wants,” Biden said.
Biden also spoke about the character of America’s first president, George Washington, saying he believed power was limited, not absolute.
After finishing his speech, Biden abruptly walked out of the room, avoiding questions from reporters.
Reporters peppered Biden with questions about whether he planned to drop out of the presidential race after the debate with Trump.
Trump hails Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling as ‘a major victory for the Constitution and democracy’
US President Joe Biden speaks during a Memorial Day address at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, USA, Monday, May 27, 2024. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Since his disastrous debate defeat against Trump last week, Biden has not taken questions from reporters and has used a teleprompter at his own events, including a fundraiser in the Hamptons.
“Today’s historic ruling by the Supreme Court should put an end to the entire New York hoax, the Manhattan fraud concocted by Soros-backed District Attorney Alvin Bragg, racist New York Attorney General Tish James’ shameless attacks on the great business I built, and the fake Bergdorf’s ‘affair’ – including the entire evil Joe Biden witch hunt against me. Proud to be an American!” Trump said in a post on his social media site, Truth Social.
Biden camp denies Trump immunity ruling: ‘Facts don’t change’
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and argued that he should be immune from prosecution for his official duties as president of the United States. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
The former president was indicted in August 2023 by Special Counsel Jack Smith on charges that he conspired to overturn the results of the election that Biden lost prior to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and says the indictment and three others are politically motivated and aimed at preventing him from returning to the White House.
President Trump responded to the Supreme Court’s decision on the presidential immunity case, calling it a “huge victory for our Constitution and our democracy,” according to his Truth Social page.
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“The Supreme Court decision was far more impactful than some expected. Very well written, clever and clears away the stench of Biden trials and hoaxes that have been used to unfairly attack me, a political opponent of the evil Joe Biden. Many of these hoaxes will now fade or be forgotten. God Bless America!” Trump wrote.
Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman and Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report.
