Donald Trump attempted to defend himself Sunday against criminal charges against him in the election meddling case, but experts said it sounded more like a confession.
Trump boasted on Fox News that his poll numbers go up every time he is indicted.
“Whoever heard, you're being charged with election meddling, when you have every right to do so. You're being charged and your poll numbers are going up,” he said.
Trump faces charges in multiple jurisdictions and cases, including election interference in a criminal case filed in federal court in Washington. He was charged again last week to comply with guidelines set by the Supreme Court, which ruled in July that Trump was immune from prosecution for “official acts.”
On Sunday, however, Trump bluntly said he had “every right” to “interfere” in the election.
Lawmakers, former prosecutors, defense attorneys and other legal experts were on hand to fact-check. Some said it sounded like Trump was confessing to a crime:
Dear @realDonaldTrump: Are you really that stupid? Do you think President Biden has the right to interfere in the upcoming election? Do you want VP Harris to do what you tried to do to former VP Mike Pence? Are you really that stupid?
Also, interference in elections is illegal. https://t.co/9ceSd99K1t
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) September 2, 2024
There is no right to “interfere” in a presidential election. This is the banality of evil here: Trump claims he can ignore the will of the voters to claim victory in an election he lost. And he will do it again. We must vote against him in overwhelming numbers. https://t.co/S0ECtVdPOt
—Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) September 2, 2024
I love that Trump uses the word “meddling” and incriminates himself.
— Elizabeth de la Vega 🇺🇸🦅 (@Delavegalaw) September 2, 2024
In his defense, Trump is not wrong when he claims that charging a president with election interference is unprecedented. But then again, so is a president interfering in an election. So that's where we stand. https://t.co/QuYL9AwB3k
—Marc Guggenheim (@mguggenheim) September 2, 2024
To be clear, NO ONE “has the right to interfere in a presidential election” or any other election for that matter. It is against the law to do so. It is not only a violation of the law, but a violation of every oath that asshole and his cronies took. https://t.co/90ptLsccuT
— (((Denise A Rubin))) (@DeniseARubin) September 2, 2024
No one has the right to interfere in an election. Either 1) Trump believes his lies, or 2) Trump is old and delusional. Either way, he is unfit to be president.
— Taylor E. Darcy (@tayloredarcy) September 2, 2024
