The US leader has accused the Supreme Court of setting a \u201cdangerous precedent\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President Joe Biden has attacked the Supreme Court, urging American citizens to \u201cdissent\u201d against its ruling that American presidents have \u201cabsolute immunity\u201d for their official actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a 6-3 decision on Monday, the highest US court ruled that under \u201cour system of separated powers, the President may not be prosecuted for exercising his core constitutional powers, and he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for his official acts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Biden criticizes the decision in a brief statement, calling it \u201ca fundamentally new principle\u201d and a \u201cdangerous precedent because the power of the office will no longer be constrained by the law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere are no kings in America. Each, each of us is equal before the law. No one, no one is above the law, not even the president of the United States,\u201d Biden claimed \u2013 even as the SCOTUS ruling specifically stated that \u201cThe President is not above the law\u201d and that \u201cThere is no immunity for unofficial acts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Federal prosecutors have charged former President Donald Trump with four criminal counts related to the 2020 presidential election, alleging that he \u201cconspired\u201d to overturn the results. The SCOTUS verdict allows lower courts to hold evidentiary hearings to determine which actions by Trump may have been unofficial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump called the ruling \u2013 which puts a dent in the Democrats\u2019 plans to prosecute him in the federal court in Washington, DC before the November election \u2013 a \u201cbig win for our constitution and democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Biden warned Americans about a possible return of Trump, saying that \u201cpeople must decide if they want to entrust \u2026 the presidency to Donald Trump, now knowing that he\u2019ll be even more emboldened to do whatever he pleases whenever he wants to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Biden went on to quote Justice Sotomayor\u2019s dissent, in which she wrote that \u201cIn every use of official power, the president is now a king above the law. With fear for our democracy, I dissent.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo should the American people dissent, I dissent,\u201d Biden added, concluding his prepared remarks and taking no questions from the press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n