Donald Trump on Sunday tried to defend himself from the criminal charges he’s facing in the election interference case ― but experts say it sounded more like a confession.
Trump on Fox News bragged that his poll numbers go up every time he’s indicted.
“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,” he said.
Trump is facing charges in multiple jurisdictions and cases, including election interference in a criminal case filed in federal court in Washington. Last week, he was re-indicted to comply with directions from the Supreme Court, which in July ruled that Trump was immune from prosecution for “official acts.”
On Sunday, however, Trump flat out said he had “every right” to have been “interfering” with the election.
Lawmakers, former prosecutors, attorneys and other legal minds were ready with a fact-check ― and some said it sounded like Trump was admitting to a crime:
Dear @realDonaldTrump: Are you seriously this stupid? You think President Biden has the right to interfere in the upcoming election? Do you want VP Harris to do what you tried to get former VP Mike Pence to do? Are you really this dumb?
Also, interfering in elections is illegal. https://t.co/9ceSd99K1t
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) September 2, 2024
There’s no right to “interfere” with a presidential election. This is the banality of evil right here—Trump asserting he can override the will of the voters to claim victory in an election he lost. And, he will do it again. We must vote against him in overwhelming numbers. https://t.co/S0ECtVdPOt
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) September 2, 2024
I love that Trump uses the word “interfere” thereby making the case against himself.
— Elizabeth de la Vega 🇺🇸🦅 (@Delavegalaw) September 2, 2024
In his defense, Trump’s not wrong to suggest that indicting a President for interfering with an election is without precedent. Then again, so is a President interfering with an election. So that’s where we are. https://t.co/QuYL9AwB3k
— Marc Guggenheim (@mguggenheim) September 2, 2024
To be clear: NO ONE “has a right to interfere in a presidential election” nor indeed any other election. It is against the law to do so. It is a violation not only of law, but indeed of every oath that son of a bitch and his enablers swore. https://t.co/90ptLsccuT
— (((Denise A Rubin))) (@DeniseARubin) September 2, 2024
No one has the right to interfere with an election. Either 1) Trump believes his lies, or 2) Trump is old and delusional. Either way, he is unfit to be president.
— Taylor E. Darcy (@tayloredarcy) September 2, 2024
