Trump Claims He Had ‘Every Right’ to Interfere in Presidential Election to Fox News

In a recent interview with Fox News, former President Donald Trump asserted that he had “every right” to intervene in the 2020 presidential election. His comments have raised alarms among legal experts, who suggest he was inadvertently admitting to unlawful actions aimed at reversing the election outcome. During the conversation with host Mark Levin, Trump described Vice President Kamala Harris as “a nasty person” and criticized her treatment of his former vice president, Mike Pence.

Trump remarked on the surprising shift in his public support, noting that his approval ratings increased after being indicted for alleged election interference. He casually stated, “Who ever heard you get indicted for interfering with a presidential election, where you have every right to do it?” He continued, stating, “You get indicted and your poll numbers go up… when people get indicted, your poll numbers go down.”

Levin noted that the special counsel Jack Smith’s updated indictment aimed to revitalize the case following the Supreme Court’s ruling which determined that former presidents have immunity for their official actions during their terms. Legal analysts quickly reacted to Trump’s remarks through social media.

Former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance expressed her outrage on X, 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.”

Legal commentator Katie Phang added, “Criming and then confessing to the criming. That’s a Trump specialty.” Another attorney, Taylor E Darcy, commented, “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.” Many users called attention to the Department of Justice on social media, urging attention to the clips of the interview.

In a recent court filing, Trump’s legal team indicated intentions to ask a judge for the dismissal of the federal case against him, citing the Supreme Court ruling that has confined the scope of the prosecution. The defense team and prosecutors submitted conflicting proposals for the case’s future, hinting at numerous challenges ahead that could prolong the proceedings into the next year.

Additionally, Trump seized the opportunity during the Fox News interview to unleash personal attacks on Kamala Harris. He stated, “She’s a nasty person. The way she treated Mike Pence was horrible. The way she treats people is horrible.” His comments likely referenced the 2020 vice presidential debate in which Harris confronted Pence for interrupting her, saying, “Mr. Vice President, I’m speaking.”

In the aftermath of the 2020 election, Trump criticized Pence for failing to halt the certification of the election results that favored President Joe Biden. This refusal led to a violent insurrection where many of Trump’s supporters invaded the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, chanting threats against Pence.

Reports indicate that Trump had expressed troubling sentiments toward Pence during the chaotic events. Liz Cheney, a Republican serving on the January 6 select committee, revealed that Trump felt Pence “deserved” the turmoil he faced. According to her, Trump had reacted angrily to advisers who pressed him to take decisive action during the siege. Remarkably, Trump responded to the rioters’ chants with the chilling thought that they “might have the right idea” regarding Pence.

Following the recent interview, several social media users pointed out the irony in Trump’s critique of Harris. One user remarked, “I would argue the way HE treated Mike Pence was worse. Kamala didn’t have gallows waiting for his VP…Trump’s lies did.” Another suggested, “Did he forget about the crowd he unleashed on Pence?” and another quipped, “Kamala Harris famously sent a mob of Trump supporters to the Capitol after Mike Pence.”