President Joe Biden has expressed concern over a recent Supreme Court ruling that grants former President Donald Trump partial immunity from criminal prosecution. Biden described the decision as a “dangerous precedent” that undermines the rule of law and does a “terrible disservice” to Americans. Trump, on the other hand, celebrated the court’s decision as a “big win” for democracy.
The Supreme Court ruled that a president has immunity for “official acts” but not for “unofficial acts. The case has been referred back to a trial judge to determine which actions were carried out in Trump’s presidential capacity. This process could delay the criminal case against Trump, which alleges he attempted to subvert the 2020 election results in favor of Biden.
In a late-night televised statement, Biden emphasized, “This nation was founded on the principle that there are no kings in America. Each of us is equal before the law. No one, no one is above the law. Not even the president of the United States.” He further stated that the court’s decision could mean there are virtually no limits on what a president may do.
Biden was referring to Trump’s alleged role in inciting the Capitol riot, for which he is facing potential criminal conviction. However, due to the court’s decision, it is highly unlikely that a trial will commence before the upcoming presidential election on November 5.
Trump’s legal team is also seeking to overturn his conviction in New York, where he was found guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records related to concealing an alleged sexual encounter with former adult-film star Stormy Daniels.
The Supreme Court’s ruling will also impact other ongoing criminal prosecutions against Trump, including the case involving top-secret documents found at his Florida home and the case in Georgia where he is accused of conspiring to overturn his narrow election defeat in the state.
