Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized what he called the “nation-destroying” ruling from the federal appeals court that said Trump is not immune from prosecution for alleged crimes he committed during his presidency to reverse the 2020 election results.
Trump, in a Truth Social post, said that “a President of the United States must have Full Immunity in order to properly function and do what has to be done for the good of our Country,” calling for the ruling to be overturned.
“A President will be afraid to act for fear of the opposite Party’s Vicious Retribution after leaving Office,” he posted, saying that “it will become a Political Weapon.”
What the appeals court said: In the opinion, the judges found that if proven, the former president’s efforts to usurp the 2020 presidential election were an “unprecedented assault on the structure of our government.” The judges also flatly rejected Trump’s claim that his criminal indictment would have a “chilling effect” on future presidents.
In rejecting Trump’s immunity arguments, the appeals panel also said the public interest in holding a potentially criminal president accountable outweighed the potential negative impacts on the office of the presidency.