US President Joe Biden said on Monday that the Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity is a "dangerous precedent" that could turn presidents into kings, calling on the American people to object by rejecting Donald Trump in the November election.
Biden said in remarks from the White House that the court's decision means it is highly unlikely that Trump will be tried on charges of seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 election before the November 5 vote, and warned that it could turn American presidents into kings.
The US Supreme Court had earlier on Monday concluded that Trump cannot be sued for any actions that fall within his constitutional powers as president, but he can be sued for his own actions, in a landmark ruling that for the first time in some form recognizes presidential immunity from prosecution.
“This nation was founded on the principle that there are no kings in America,” Biden said. “We are all equal before the law. No one, no one is above the law, not even the president of the United States.”
He said the court's decision meant there were no longer any limits on what the president could do. "It's a dangerous precedent, because the power of the office will no longer be limited by law... The only limits will be imposed by the president alone," he added.
Asked on Fox News about Biden's remarks, House Speaker Mike Johnson called Biden's statement "contemptible" and "dangerous," accusing the president of "trying to undermine the Supreme Court."
Trump is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official act, the January 6, 2021, session of Congress that was held to certify Biden's election victory. He is also charged with conspiracy to deprive Americans of the right to vote and have their ballots counted.