Donald Trump told reporters that “the president has to have immunity,’ following a hearing in a federal appeals court on Tuesday where his lawyers argued the former president should not face prosecution for charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
Trump, who was present in the courtroom during the hearing, told reporters afterward that he did nothing wrong. While presidents do enjoy broad immunity related to their official presidential actions and duties, Trump is the first president to ever face a criminal indictment. Whether presidential immunity is extended to criminal charges is a novel question for the U.S. justice system.
The court, a panel of three judges, appeared to express skepticism Trump’s attorneys and their claim that the former president is immune from prosecution for criminal activity.
Special Counsel Jack Smith indicted Trump last year on four counts related to accusations he tried to overturn the results of the 2020 election, won by now-President Joe Biden.
Trump was in the courtroom less than a week before Republican voters in Iowa cast their ballots in their presidential caucus — the first votes of the 2024 campaign. Public opinion polling indicates Trump has a sizable lead among Republican voters.
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