Former President Donald Trump on Thursday argued that presidents need full immunity even if they “cross the line.”
“A president of the United States must have full immunity, without which it would be impossible for him/her to properly function,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Any mistake, even if well intended, would be met with almost certain indictment by the opposing party at term end.”
“Even events that ‘cross the line’ must fall under total immunity, or it will be years of trauma trying to determine good from bad,” he said. “There must be certainty.”
The former president used the example of police officers, saying they shouldn’t be stopped from doing their job simply because of a “rogue cop or bad apple.”
“Sometimes you just have to live with the ‘great but slightly imperfect,’” he said.
Mr. Trump has claimed absolute presidential immunity from the charges that say he conspired against the U.S. in his challenge to what he calls a rigged 2020 election. Federal appeals court judges did not seem convinced of his claim last week.
The former president is facing two cases — one in Washington and one in Georgia — for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
“All presidents must have complete & total presidential immunity, or the authority & decisiveness of a president of the United States will be stripped & gone forever,” he said at the end of his post. “Hopefully this will be an easy decision. God bless the Supreme Court!”
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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