'The good of the country': Trump explains why he should have immunity
Responding to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling Monday that he can remain on the Colorado ballot after the state, citing the 14th Amendment, removed him for engaging in insurrection, Donald Trump on Monday suggested he should have absolute immunity “for the good of the country and actually the good of the world.”
The Supreme Court recently decided to take up Trump’s “absolute immunity” claim, which is tied to Special Prosecutor Jack Smith’s prosecution of Trump for his actions to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. But falling under that argument could be his Espionage Act case against Trump, also referred to as the classified documents case, and indeed, possibly any case against him for his actions while in office.
“I don’t want to be prosecuted, because I decided to do something that is very much for the good of the country and actually for the good of the world,” Trump said in his rambling remarks, while talking about fighting ISIS when he was Commander-in-Chief.
“We were fighting for 20 years against ISIS. And we did it very quickly. I don’t want to be prosecuted. In that case, it worked out very well. There will be some things that perhaps don’t work out so well, but I don’t want to be prosecuted because I decided to do something that is very much for the good of the country and actually for the good of the world,” Trump said in his remarks.
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Trump’s hypothetical, however, is not why he’s being prosecuted.
He is facing a myriad of charges in just the two cases being prosecuted by Special Counsel Jack Smith. But Trump also faces charges in the New York District Attorney’s case, often referred to as the “hush money” case, and in the Fulton County election interference case – none of which have to do with battling terrorists overseas.
“A President shouldn’t have that on his mind and he has to have a free and clear mind when he makes very big decisions,” Trump continued, “or it’s going to be nothing more than a ceremonial post. You’ll be president, it’ll be a wonderful thing and you won’t do anything because you don’t want to be hit by your opponent or hit by somebody else because who wants to leave office and go through what I’ve gone through?”
No president in U.S. history has been charged with crimes related to his actions while in office.
Later in his remarks, as Real Clear Politics reported, Trump went on to say, “you have deranged Jack Smith, who is a Trump hater and represents all the Trump haters, and he’s going wild, wild man and he was just overturned unanimously by the Supreme Court, went after other people and he’s a great failure. He is mean, nasty, unfair.”
Smith was not “just overturned unanimously by the Supreme Court.” The Court agreed to take up Trump’s immunity claim, which Smith asked the Court to do in December.
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“The judges on these cases are Trump haters,” Trump continued. “Other than we have one or two I think can be fair. But you look at New York what has happened. These people have tremendous hatred.”
Political commentator Bob Cesca responded to Trump’s remarks, writing: “Remaining in office is the goal of a *campaign* not the duty of a *president*. He thinks illegally remaining president was an act ‘for the good of the country.’ He’s tacitly admitting to engaging in insurrection as part of his… duties? Hello, Jack Smith.”
Watch a clip of Trump’s remarks below or at this link.
