Liberals, progressives and the far-left expressed outrage after the Supreme Court finally ruled on the immunity case involving former President Donald Trump.
The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision led by Chief Justice John Roberts, ruled that the president has immunity for official acts but not for non-official acts, meaning the matter will be sent back to a district court to determine which of President Trump’s actions in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s case were official acts. A trial probably won’t take place before the November election.
“Under our constitutional separation of powers structure, the nature of presidential power provides a former president with absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for acts within the scope of his distinct and exclusive constitutional authority, and he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all official acts. He has no immunity for unofficial acts,” the Court wrote.
“I oppose it because it puts our democracy at risk.”
“Certain allegations, such as President Trump’s discussions with the Acting Attorney General, can be readily classified in light of the nature of the official relationship between the President and the office he holds. Other allegations, such as President Trump’s interactions with the Vice President, state officials, and certain private citizens, as well as statements to the public, raise more difficult questions,” Justice Roberts wrote in the majority opinion.
In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that she was concerned the ruling would allow a president to order SEAL Team Six on missions such as killing political opponents.
“The president of the United States is the most powerful person in the country, and possibly the world. When the president exercises any form of public power, the majority’s logic is that he will henceforth be immune from criminal prosecution. Order Navy SEAL Unit 6 to assassinate a political opponent? Immunity. Plot a military coup to stay in power? Immunity. Take a bribe in exchange for a pardon? Immunity. Immunity, immunity, immunity,” Sotomayor said.
“I am opposed, fearing for our democracy.”
At X, commentators and media figures complained about how dangerous the ruling was for the country.
“Our democracy has been seriously wounded. President Trump’s immunity decision says that the president can violate criminal laws if he acts within his broadly defined ‘constitutional authority.’ It’s absurd and dangerous,” said former Attorney General Eric Holder. stated About X.
