WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 20: U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters while hosting Republican Congressional leaders and members of his cabinet in the Oval Office at the White House July 20, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump and his guests talked about a proposed new round of financial stimulus to help the economy during the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Doug Mills/Getty Images)
The United States supreme court has unanimously ruled that states in the country do not have the authority to take former President Donald Trump off the ballot.
The ruling on Monday reversed a decision taken in December by Colorado’s supreme court disqualifying Trump from holding office again.
In the verdict last year, the state ruled that Trump was not an eligible candidate because he had engaged in an insurrection with the US Capitol riot of 2021.
Although the ruling only applied to Colorado’s state primary election on March 5, it marked the first time that section 3 of the 14th amendment — which disqualifies people who engage in insurrection against the constitution after taking an oath to support it — was successful against Trump.
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Trump’s legal team called the ruling “completely flawed” and said they would “swiftly file an appeal” to the US supreme court, where conservatives hold a six to three majority.
Reversing the ruling, the country’s supreme court said Trump should appear on the ballot in Colorado.
A five-justice majority – John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh – wrote that states may not remove any federal officer from the ballot, especially the president, without congress first passing legislation.
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“We conclude that States may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office. But States have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the Presidency,” the ruling reads.
“Nothing in the Constitution delegates to the States any power to enforce Section 3 against federal officeholders and candidates.”
The court stopped short of addressing whether Trump engaged in acts of insurrection or not.
The former president celebrated the ruling on social media, he wrote, “BIG WIN FOR AMERICA!!!”
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Trump has promised to pardon most or all of the rioters if he is re-elected president in 2024.
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