Ron DeSantis rips Donald Trump presidential immunity claim

Ron DeSantis is sharpening his criticisms of Donald Trump’s legal defense rooted in an unusual and untested interpretation of presidential immunity.

During an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” the Florida Governor was asked to evaluate a claim made by Trump’s lawyers that a President could not be charged with a crime for compelling Seal Team 6 to assassinate a political rival, unless he was first impeached for that act.

Trump’s attorneys used that argument to support their contention that Trump is immune from prosecution regarding alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 Presidential Election that he lost.

“This idea of presidential immunity has not really ever been vetted by the Supreme Court. But I think that admission by the lawyer of that statement, I think that lost him the case at the D.C. Circuit,” DeSantis said.

“I think the D.C. Circuit is definitely going to rule against him. But then the question is, does the Supreme Court take that case?”

The Governor’s critique of Trump was sharper than one offered earlier this week, suggesting either an evolving position or a heightened sense of urgency on DeSantis’ part.

During a nationally televised town hall Tuesday, the Florida Governor dodged a question about whether Donald Trump had immunity from charges that he tried to overturn the 2020 Presidential Election because he was President at the time.

“You know, I’m not exactly sure because I think it’s kind of a novel issue,” DeSantis said on Fox News.

Trump told The Associated Press Tuesday that “a President has to have immunity.” But DeSantis said then that he thought the court would spike Trump’s argument on ideological grounds, rather than questioning the logic of the defense, as he did Thursday.

“I think the D.C. Circuit will rule against him. I mean, it’s a liberal circuit and I think they’re going to hotwire this thing,” DeSantis said on Fox.

DeSantis has floated Day 1 pardons of Trump and those who participated in the riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

“I think we got to move on as a country and, you know, like (Gerald) Ford did to (Richard) Nixon, because the divisions are just not in the country’s interest,” he said in December, as reported by NBC News.