Apr 9, 2024
- Nineteen former military officials opposed Trump’s immunity bid in a Supreme Court amicus brief.
- Trump, facing felony charges, claims ‘absolute immunity’ from prosecution of events from his presidency.
- The brief argues immunity could hurt public trust, security, and the rule of law.
Nineteen former military officials argue in a US Supreme Court amicus brief that offering legal immunity to former President Donald Trump could cause irreparable damage.
“The rule of law is critical to the military’s mission and to the people’s trust in the armed forces,” the former military leaders, which included nine generals, six admirals, and four service secretaries, wrote in a brief filed April 8.
Not only does the former president’s “approach threaten to inject chaos into military operations, it also threatens to damage— potentially irreparably — the public’s trust in the military and the willingness of recruits to join the armed forces,” they said.
Trump has claimed that while in office, the president has “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution. Trump is facing felony federal charges stemming from allegations of attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Oral arguments are expected to begin on April 25.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to the allegations against him while his defense has argued that he is immune from prosecution as the Department of Justice and special counsel Jack Smith push the case forward. Smith has asked the Supreme Court to reject Trump’s immunity claims.
Former military members detailed how granting Trump, the former commander-in-chief of the armed forces, immunity from felony charges would negatively impact the rule of law, civilian-military relations, and the peaceful transition of power.
The brief said that the provision of immunity for alleged unlawful actions by the president would result in a lack of accountability that would undermine the expectation that members of the US military “to abide by the orders of superior officers” but “disobey any such orders that are unlawful,” responsibilities that American service members must commit to when they serve.
If Trump were granted immunity, the former military leaders said, this would also negate individual rights and the role of civilians within military.
“Allowing the Commander-in-Chief to weaponize the powers of the US military to criminal ends with impunity would also confront the President’s civilian appointees and military officers with an impossible choice: whether to obey the orders of the Commander-in-Chief or the laws of the United States,” the brief said.
Former military officials also argued that presidential immunity would threaten national security as the lack of accountability would threaten democracy and influence how other nations perceive the US at a time when authoritarian powers are rising in influence.
Others beyond those represented in the brief agreed. “The president doesn’t have immunity on these types of issues,” Trump’s former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told CNN’s Katie Hunt in response to the brief and Trump’s immunity plea. “It’s just absurd.”
https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-bid-for-immunity-opposed-by-former-military-officials-2024-4
There are many sensible reasons why Trump – or any other ex-president or current president – should never have immunity from the law.
As a severe narcissist, loathsome braggart, repulsive liar, and pea brain, and his total lack of ethics and integrity, Trump would virtually go nuts if declared immune. He would do just about anything that benefits him personally and do things that would severely harm our country.
Trump belongs in a prison or loony bin. It doesn’t matter which, but he should NOT be in the White House and with immunity.
The USA has had well over 400 generals and admirals just since 2000. So they found 19…lol…
To be accurate, the headline should be:
“Giving Trump sweeping immunity like every other president would bring ‘chaos,’
I can’t recall any president with sweeping immunity, and especially one who instigated an insurrection.
He wants to be President, to have 4 more years immunity. And shining with Putin. Xi and Kim-Jung-Un.
Through his lawyers, he stated that under the cover of his immunity he could legally eliminate his political opponents through the service of SEAL Team Six… that says a lot about the character! No, that says everything about this bastard!
That would be easier than Biden’s method doing it through the DoJ…
Brandon is not wielding the DoJ, some cases the orange one is involved in, DoJ doesn’t even have jurisdiction over. 🤣
President Biden had nothing to do with the Department of Justice investigation, special counsel in charge of the investigation Jack Smith, or the grand jury deliberations.
A federal grand jury brought the indictment, at the behest of a special counsel, named by the attorney general, Merrick B. Garland, precisely to insulate the legal investigation of Mr. Trump from any perceived or real pressure from the president or his political appointees.
Jack Smith is a career prosecutor who is not registered with either political party.
Buuuuuuuuuuuut Biden! Yeah, but Biden.
Burisma! Hunter! Biden!
Look at Biden please
#whataboutism
^bert
His mindset is a combination of being juvenile and that of a mobster.
To deny any Ex-president immunity for his official acts will cause chaos. We would see very one being charged as soon as possible, and no one would ever serve unless they were people like Biden or Obama.
We’re not talking about official acts. Trump is trying to claim absolute immunity for crimes he committed which were *not* official acts.
(And please save your delusions that the insurrection was not an insurrection or that what trumpkov did wasn’t illegal. He’s not claiming he’s innocent; he’s claiming he’s immune from prosecution.)
The “insurrection” when everyone went home for dinner afterwards? lol Those idiots didn’t even pack a lunch for their “insurrection”…
No just a portable gallows, tons of bear spray, bats, batons, stun grenades(flash bangs), a sword, various knives, not sure on firearms if on grounds, or recovered from participatory suspects. Which were used among other items to assault 143 police officers to various degrees including one death.
Correction regarding the sword I had heard about was in Rep Bruce Wester man’s hands (R-Ark) after he barricaded himself in a bathroom.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/550533-gop-lawmaker-barricaded-himself-in-bathroom-with-sword-during-capitol-riot/
Firearms too – on grounds, plus a number of people had caches of weapons stored nearby.
https://www.npr.org/2021/03/19/977879589/yes-capitol-rioters-were-armed-here-are-the-weapons-prosecutors-say-they-used
No, the insurrection where people died and where we looked like a damned banana republic!
The insurrection should’ve not only barred him from running again, it should get him into prison.
44 U.S. Presidents managed to serve the American people before the orange one without a blanket immunity.
I seriously doubt that. Having immunity for a few minor things is okay, but not sweeping immunity. That’s just absurd.
I can only once again point to the FACT that the whole motivation behind the declaration of independence was to get away from a head of state who was above the law. If the effing Supreme Court of the US ignores this, it’s of no use anymore. 😠
Then, the SC becomes a part of the problem and will help to push the US into corruption and a dictatorship.