Former President Donald Trump Calls for Supreme Court Intervention in 2024 Election Amid Ongoing Legal Battles
Former President Donald Trump, who was arraigned on charges of attempting to subvert the 2020 presidential race just a day ago, has made a bold move by calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to step into the 2024 contest. Trump, currently the leading contender in the Republican presidential primary, argues that dealing with multiple ongoing legal battles amounts to “election interference,” despite being accused of orchestrating such interference in his latest indictment.
In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “My political opponent has hit me with a barrage of weak lawsuits, including D.A., A.G., and others, which require massive amounts of my time and money to adjudicate. Resources that would have gone into Ads and Rallies, will now have to be spent fighting these Radical Left Thugs in numerous courts throughout the Country. I am leading in all Polls, including against Crooked Joe, but this is not a level playing field.”
Trump further emphasized his belief that this amounted to “election interference” and called for the Supreme Court to intervene. However, it remains unclear what specific actions Trump expects the high court to take concerning his 78 criminal charges. Typically, the Supreme Court only has appellate jurisdiction, meaning it primarily considers cases that have already been appealed from lower courts.
Later in the day, Trump claimed that he was being targeted in the courts in a way that inhibits his ability to campaign, questioning whether it may be “unconstitutional.” CNBC reached out to the Supreme Court for comment, but no response has been received yet. Additionally, a Trump campaign spokesman has yet to address questions related to the former president’s post.
Trump was charged on Tuesday with four criminal counts related to his efforts to overturn his loss to President Joe Biden in 2020. The indictment, presented by special counsel Jack Smith, alleges a prolonged endeavor by Trump and several co-conspirators to maintain his hold on the presidency through a complex conspiracy that violated multiple federal statutes.
The indictment primarily focuses on Trump’s actions leading up to and during the January 6, 2021, Capitol siege, where a violent pro-Trump mob disrupted the congressional meeting to certify Biden’s electoral victory. On Thursday, Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges in federal court in Washington, D.C. Trump has suggested that the trial should be moved out of D.C., where the jury would likely be composed of a Democratic-leaning population, to a state like West Virginia that heavily supported him in the previous elections.
This marks the third time this year that the former president has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges. In June, Trump was arraigned on federal charges related to retaining classified documents after leaving office. Manhattan prosecutors also charged him with falsifying business records concerning hush money payments to women alleging extramarital affairs. Trump has consistently denied infidelity allegations.
In an indication of Trump’s enduring popularity within the Republican Party, recent polls show him surpassing his GOP competitors. A New York Times/Siena College poll of likely Republican primary voters revealed that Trump leads Florida Governor Ron DeSantis by a significant double-digit margin. Additionally, in the key nominating state of Iowa, Trump maintains a commanding lead, according to another Times/Siena poll published on Friday.
Despite the numerous criminal charges weighing on him, Trump’s campaign continues to gain momentum ahead of the 2024 presidential race, fueling speculation about his potential impact on the Republican primary and the general election.