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Jimmy Williams
Former President Donald Trump asserted Sunday that he had “every right” to interfere with the 2020 presidential election, even as two criminal cases accusing him of doing just that continue to loom over him. His comments have reignited controversy, with Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign condemning them as further evidence that Trump believes he is “above the law.”
During an interview with Fox News that aired Sunday, Trump launched into a lengthy defense of his actions surrounding the 2020 election, accusing the Justice Department of targeting him unfairly. Trump expressed amazement that his criminal charges, rather than hurting him politically, had actually boosted his poll numbers.
“Whoever heard you get indicted for interfering with a presidential election where you have every right to do it, you get indicted, and your poll numbers go up?” Trump said. “When people get indicted, your poll numbers go down. But it was such, such nonsense.”
Trump’s remarks come just days after a new indictment was brought against him, accusing him of orchestrating a complex effort to overturn his election loss in 2020. This included attempting to disenfranchise voters in key swing states and pushing false claims of election fraud, which prosecutors argue fueled the deadly January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump also faces similar charges of election interference in Fulton County, Georgia, where he and several allies are accused of pressuring state officials to alter the outcome of the vote in his favor.
On Monday, the Harris campaign wasted no time in responding to Trump’s latest comments. Sarafina Chitika, a spokesperson for the campaign, lambasted Trump’s remarks, framing them as emblematic of the “chaos, fear, and division” experienced by Americans during his time in office.
“Everything Donald Trump has promised on the campaign trail — from ‘terminating’ the Constitution to imprisoning his political opponents and promising to rule as a dictator on ‘day one’ — makes it clear that he believes he is above the law,” Chitika said in a statement. “Now, Trump is claiming he had ‘every right’ to interfere in the 2020 election. He did not.”
Chitika’s statement further criticized Trump’s rhetoric as dangerous and out of step with democratic norms, accusing him of threatening the integrity of the electoral process.
Trump’s legal troubles stem from multiple criminal cases focused on his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, including federal charges brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith. Last week’s indictment was crafted carefully to navigate the Supreme Court’s recent expansion of presidential immunity in relation to official acts.
While the legal battles rage on, Trump’s claim that he had the right to interfere in the election could intensify debate as the 2024 election cycle heats up. The outcome of his various trials will have profound implications not just for his political future but also for the nation’s approach to presidential powers and accountability.
