President Donald Trump rages about 'immunities' ahead of Supreme Court hearing

In a series of posts, former President Donald Trump spoke to Truth Social about his presidential immunity claim on Saturday, days before oral arguments are scheduled on the issue before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The former president sought to use presidential immunity to protect himself from numerous criminal and civil challenges. Most notably, Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, is being prosecuted by the Department of Justice (DOJ) special counsel in a federal election interference lawsuit over the events that led to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. This is because the defendant requested a defense brought by the defendant. Jack Smith.

The former president was indicted on four federal felonies in August. Conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. Obstructing or attempting to interfere with an official proceeding. and conspiracy against rights. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him and maintains that his charges are politically motivated.

Trump faces a total of four criminal charges at both the state and federal level. He has maintained his innocence in all cases.

newsweek has reached out to Smith's office for comment via an online form.

On Thursday, Supreme Court justices will hear oral arguments to decide whether presidential immunity protects Trump from criminal prosecution for actions he committed while in office.

Meanwhile, President Trump on Saturday focused on his claims of presidential immunity on his social media platform Truth Social, often targeting President Joe Biden.

“If they strip me of my presidential privileges, they're stripping crooked Joe Biden of his presidential privileges,” he wrote in all caps.

In another all-caps post, the former president added, “Without executive privilege, it would be impossible for the President to properly perform his duties and would place the United States of America in grave and eternal danger!” Ta.

Trump also said, “The president must be free to decide what is right for our country without undue pressure.”

“Remember, if I don't have presidential privilege, crooked Joe Biden doesn't have it either…If there was no privilege, the presidency as we know it would no longer exist.” “Not many actions in the interests of others.'' This is by no means the view of legal experts and academics that presidents must be free to make good decisions. And he must not be guided by fear of retaliation! ” he wrote.

Judge Juan Melchán, who is overseeing the former president's hush-money criminal case in New York, denied President Trump's request to be excused from next week's trial as he was scheduled to attend a court hearing on his defense of presidential immunity.

Trump on Monday became the first former president in U.S. history to go on trial in a criminal case. Under investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office, Trump was charged in March 2023 with falsifying business records related to hush money he paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. He was indicted. Daniels claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006, which Trump denies. President Trump has said the lawsuit against him is politically motivated.

During the first week of the trial, Todd Blanche, Trump's lead defense attorney, requested that the former president be allowed to attend Thursday's hearing.

However, Mr Marchand reportedly took a “sharp” tone towards Mr Blanche after the question was raised. new york times Reporter Jonah Bromwich reported from the courtroom on Monday. The judge asked Blanche, “Do you think you shouldn't be here now?”

Trump's lawyers responded that their legal team believes the case should not have been tried during the campaign. The former president has advanced numerous legal challenges through November and has repeatedly accused prosecutors and judges of trying to thwart his 2024 reelection bid.

Mr. Machan then told Mr. Blanche that his “client is a criminal defendant” and that he “needs to come here” instead of a Supreme Court hearing.

President Trump also disapproved of Marchan's absence next month, lamenting that doing so would mean he would not be able to attend his son's high school graduation. Barron Trump, 18, is the youngest of the former president's five children and his only child with former first lady Melania Trump.

President Trump said, “I can't go to my son's graduation, I can't go to the U.S. Supreme Court. I'm not campaigning as much as I should be in Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina.'' time. “This is perfect for the radical left of the Democratic Party. It's exactly what they want.”

Marchan said he has not ruled on whether President Trump will be granted immunity from the court to attend his son's graduation, saying it is too early to tell.