In a hushed concern, Donald Trump is privately grappling with the possibility that the Supreme Court might align with Colorado’s decision to exclude him from the ballot in the 2024 Republican primary. Colorado’s surprising move, asserting Trump’s ineligibility under the insurrection clause of the US Constitution, was met with a parallel stance from Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, who cited the 14th Amendment in her detailed 34-page ruling.
Trump’s advisors are actively preparing challenges to contest these decisions, as reported by The New York Times. While Trump has expressed confidence to those close to him, anticipating a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court, he harbors reservations that the judges might opt for a non-political stance and rule against him. This concern persists despite his appointment of three conservative judges to the nation’s highest court.
The insights into Trump’s apprehensions were disclosed by “a person with direct knowledge of his private comments,” according to a report by NYT senior political correspondent Maggie Haberman and political reporter Johnathan Swan.
Shenna Bellows attributed her decision to Trump’s alleged incitement of his supporters on January 6, 2021, urging them to converge on the Capitol to disrupt the certification of the 2020 election results and the peaceful transfer of power. Chris Christie, a GOP presidential candidate, criticized this decision, contending that it turns the former president into a “martyr,” suggesting Trump’s adeptness at portraying himself as a victim.
In response to the decision and the rationale provided by the state, a spokesperson for Trump issued a statement accusing Bellows of being a “virulent leftist” and a “hyper-partisan Biden-supporting Democrat.” The statement decried the situation as an “attempted theft of an election” and the “disenfranchisement of the American voter,” asserting that Democrats in blue states are unconstitutionally impinging on the civil rights of voters by seeking to remove Trump’s name from the ballot.
Colorado’s decision, mirroring Maine’s stance, also invoked the events of January 6, 2021, citing a violation of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. According to this constitutional provision, individuals engaged in insurrection, rebellion, or providing aid to such acts are deemed ineligible to run for office. As Trump navigates these legal challenges, the outcome could significantly impact his political trajectory and the broader discourse surrounding accountability for the events of January 6th.
