Donald Trump Does Not Have Presidential Immunity From Criminal Charges, D.C. Court of Appeals Rules

Donald Trump has been lobbying for full presidential immunity for weeks to fend off his snowballing legal woes, but on Tuesday, February 6, the D.C. Court of Appeals ruled the embattled former can be prosecuted for his actions surrounding the 2020 election.

"We cannot accept former President Trump’s claim that a President has unbounded authority to commit crimes that would neutralize the most fundamental check on executive power — the recognition and implementation of election results," the court of appeals said in a statement.

"Nor can we sanction his apparent contention that the Executive has carte blanche to violate the rights of individual citizens to vote and to have their votes count," the court added, noting that Trump's demands "would collapse our system of separated powers by placing the President beyond the reach of all three Branches."

However, that same day, Trump doubled down on his prior claims, insisting that a president "must have Full Immunity in order to properly function and do what has to be done for the good of our Country" in a lengthy post shared to his Truth Social platform.

"A Nation-destroying ruling like this cannot be allowed to stand," he continued. "If not overturned, as it should be, this decision would terribly injure not only the Presidency, but the Life, Breath, and Success of our Country."

"A President will be afraid to act for fear of the opposite Party’s Vicious Retribution after leaving Office," he alleged. "I know from personal experience because I am going through it right now."

"It will become a Political Weapon used for Election Interference. Even our Elections will be corrupted and under siege. So bad, and so dangerous for our Nation. SAVE PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY!" the 77-year-old concluded.

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As OK! previously reported, Trump is the first former U.S. president to ever be criminally charged. He is currently facing 91 felony counts across four jurisdictions, as well as ongoing civil suits.

In March 2023, a grand jury voted to indict the controversial politician in connection with an alleged $130,000 hush money payment made to Stormy Daniels. He was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business documents.

He was indicted for a second time in June 2023 for his alleged mishandling of classified documents that were discovered at Mar-a-Lago.

Trump was indicted twice in August 2023 related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

On August 1, 2023, the ex-prez was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights related to American citizens' right to vote.

Later that month, Trump and 18 others — including former lawyer Rudy Giuliani — were indicted for efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia.