In a recent chat with Fox News’ Mark Levin, former President Donald Trump claimed he has the “every right” to meddle with presidential elections. This remark comes as he faces legal troubles while gearing up for the 2024 campaign.
The interview, part of the Life, Liberty and Levin program, touched on Trump’s ongoing legal issues, particularly the federal election subversion case led by special counsel Jack Smith.
When Levin questioned Trump about the continuous nature of alleged election interference, Trump responded, “Actually, but the good news is my poll numbers go up. Who ever heard of someone getting indicted for interfering with a presidential election, when you have every right to do it, and your poll numbers actually rise?” He noted this trend differs from the typical expectation that charges would lower poll numbers.
Trump, the Republican nominee, is facing four federal charges connected to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, which he contends were stolen through rampant voter fraud, despite limited evidence supporting this claim. The charges include conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and conspiracy against rights, and Trump maintains his not-guilty plea, insisting the case is politically charged.
Recently, a revised indictment was filed by Smith following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that clarified presidents have immunity while performing official duties, but not as private citizens. Trump argues that his actions were official, complicating the case. Meanwhile, prosecutors assert that he acted as a candidate during the election upheaval.
In addition to federal charges, Trump is facing allegations in Georgia related to his attempts to reverse the state’s election outcome. This investigation centers on a phone call he made to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger urging him to “find” votes and other efforts to submit false electors. It’s still uncertain when these cases will go to trial, particularly the Georgia matter, which isn’t expected to be resolved before the upcoming presidential election.
Trump’s interview sparked a flurry of responses online, with legal analyst Katie Phang commenting on X (formerly Twitter) that it seems Trump is “criming and then confessing to the criming,” while former prosecutor Joyce Vance stated, “There’s no right to ‘interfere’ with a presidential election,” dubbing Trump’s actions as an assertion to override voters’ will.
This story is still developing and will be updated as new information emerges.
Update: 9/1/2024, 10:44 p.m. ET: This article was refreshed with the latest details.