Once a critic of Trump’s Jan. 6 actions, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) now says Trump’s defense of presidential immunity is “a legitimate claim,” arguing that all Trump did was give “a fiery speech.”
A New Ally?
During his Sunday appearance on “Face the Nation” on CBS News, Graham was questioned about the remark he made back in 2021, where he acknowledged that Trump could still face prosecution for any misconduct and that “the president’s conduct is subject to the law of the land.”
“It Depends”
Graham, who had voted for Trump’s acquittal in the second impeachment trial following the Capitol attack, appeared to backtrack on his earlier criticism of Trump regarding Jan. 6, responding, Yeah, it depends on what the conduct is.”
Trump’s Immunity Claim Is “Legitimate”
Graham pointed to Trump’s position as president on January 6, when he was trying to verify the election’s legitimacy, as grounds for the validity of the immunity claim.
“Now, if you’re doing your job as president — and January the sixth, he was still president trying to find out if the election, you know, was on the up and up — I think his immunity claim, I don’t know how it will bear out, but I think it’s a legitimate claim,” he added.
It’s Just “a Fiery Speech”
In his defense of the ex-president, he remarked that Trump “gave a fiery speech” and had only a minor role in the Jan. 6 riot, which is in contrast to what recent legal actions against Trump suggest.
“They’re prosecuting him for activity around January the sixth. He didn’t break into the Capitol. He gave a fiery speech, but he’s not the first guy to ever do that,” Graham continued.
Speculations on Trump’s Trial Timing
Graham voiced an optimistic outlook for Trump’s path back to the White House, despite the four criminal indictments he faces while leading in the current elections, suggesting that America should consider the broader legal implications of presidential actions.
He went on, “So at the end of the day, I think this case will not go to trial before the election. I think there are more legal issues around this than you can even imagine about — what can a president do as president? What are the limitations of being president?”
No One Above Law, but Trump Is?
During a notable part of the interview focusing on the contentious issue of Trump’s immunity, Graham, when asked again about a president’s immunity from prosecution, stated that no one is above the law, yet he defended Trump’s specific case for immunity.
Public Opinion Divided on Trump’s Immunity
It appears that public opinion doesn’t fully align with Graham’s views, as a recent survey by James Johnson of J.L. Partners, involving 1,000 likely voters, shows that 57% believe the legal actions against Donald Trump should proceed, with a majority considering him “probably” or “definitely” guilty in all cases against him.
Yet, there’s a significant 33% who, like Graham, believe in granting Trump immunity from prosecution.
Legal Challenges Loom Over Trump’s 2024 Ambitions
With four criminal indictments against him, Donald Trump is set to attend multiple trials in 2024 while he campaigns for the White House again. His run is further complicated by the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling that he cannot run for president due to his involvement in the insurrection leading up to the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021.
Graham Labels Maine Official “Radical”
Following closely after Maine’s decision to declare Trump ineligible for the 2024 primary ballot — a move that came shortly after Colorado’s Supreme Court made a similar decision — Graham said in the CBS News interview that “The Secretary of State in Maine is a pretty radical person.”
White Supremacy or Negotiation?
“She said the Electoral College was a product of white supremacy. No, it was a product of negotiation. The Civil War was about slavery. The Electoral College was about negotiations between small states and large states,” he argued.
Trump to Contest Rulings Under 14th Amendment
These rulings are grounded in Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, prohibiting office-holding by those who, after taking an oath to support the Constitution, engage in insurrection or rebellion.
Trump has promised to challenge these decisions, prohibiting office-holding by those who, after taking an oath to support the Constitution, engage in insurrection or rebellion.
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