In a recent interview with Fox News‘ Mark Levin, former President Donald Trump boldly stated that he had “every right” to interfere with a presidential election, sparking significant controversy as he faces multiple legal challenges related to his actions surrounding the 2020 election.
During the interview on Levin’s Life, Liberty and Levin program, the host addressed Trump’s ongoing legal troubles, including the Department of Justice’s election subversion case led by Special Counsel Jack Smith. Levin, a lawyer and conservative commentator, questioned the fairness of the legal cases against Trump, suggesting that President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris could instruct the Attorney General to back off. “This election interference never ends, does it?” Levin asked.
Trump responded by highlighting the unusual circumstances of his situation. “Actually, but you know the good news—it’s so crazy that my poll numbers go up. 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. When people get indicted, your poll numbers go down,” Trump remarked during the interview’s second part, which aired Sunday night, told The Daily Beast.
The former president, who is the GOP’s presidential nominee, faces four federal charges related to his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, which he continues to claim was stolen from him through widespread voter fraud, despite a lack of substantial evidence. The charges include conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, attempting to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges, asserting that the case is politically motivated.
The Supreme Court recently ruled that presidents have immunity from prosecution for official acts but not for acts as private citizens or candidates. Trump argues that his actions were official acts, but prosecutors claim he was acting as a private citizen when attempting to overturn the election results.
In addition to the federal charges, Trump faces an election interference case in Georgia, where he allegedly tried to overturn the 2020 results by pressuring state officials to “find” votes in his favor. He is also involved in a separate case in Manhattan, where he was convicted on 34 felony counts related to “hush money” payments made during the 2016 election.
Trump’s remarks in the interview have drawn immediate backlash online. MSNBC host Katie Phang tweeted, “Criming and then confessing to the criming. That’s a Trump specialty.” Former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance also criticized Trump’s comments, stating, “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.”
As Trump continues to navigate these legal battles, his statements on election interference are sure to remain a focal point in the ongoing political discourse leading up to the 2024 election.
Trump: Who ever heard you get indicted for interfering with a presidential election where you have every right to do it. pic.twitter.com/EneMFJg7kD
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 2, 2024
Trump: China paid me hundreds of billions of dollars pic.twitter.com/kbXEWA90eH
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 2, 2024