Former President Donald Trump has responded to reports that President Joe Biden is planning to bring about a series of Supreme Court reforms.
Biden is said to be "finalizing" plans to usher in changes for the high court, including introducing term limits for justices and installing an "enforceable ethics code," The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
Trump called the move "unconstitutional" and "illegal" in a post on Truth Social.
"The Radical Left Democrats are desperately trying to 'Play the Ref' by calling for an illegal and unConstitutional attack on our SACRED United States Supreme Court. The reason that these Communists are so despondent is that their unLawful Witch Hunts are failing everywhere," the former president wrote.
"The Democrats are attempting to interfere in the Presidential Election, and destroy our Justice System, by attacking their Political Opponent, ME, and our Honorable Supreme Court. We have to fight for our Fair and Independent Courts, and protect our Country. MAGA2024!"
Newsweek reached out to the Biden campaign via email for comment.
Trump seemingly believes the changes would be an attack on him, as the report comes on the heels of the Supreme Court's decision to grant immunity to former presidents' official acts while in office.
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on July 1 that presidents have broad immunity for official acts. It also ruled that official acts cannot be used as evidence if taking a case against a president for unofficial acts. Trump had moved to dismiss his indictment on charges of allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election results on the basis of presidential immunity.
Biden's proposed changes would need congressional approval, likely a challenge with a Republican-controlled House and a small Democratic majority in the Senate.
The president reportedly told the Congressional Progressive Caucus in a call on Saturday: "I'm going to need your help on the Supreme Court because I'm about to come out—I don't want to prematurely announce it—but I'm about to come out with a major initiative on limiting the court...I've been working with constitutional scholars for the last three months, and I need some help."
Shaking up the Supreme Court may be Biden's way of trying to woo progressives back into his camp who are angry about some of the Supreme Court's recent decisions, including the immunity ruling and the change in federal abortion laws with the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
After the immunity ruling, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar posted on X: "The Supreme Court can no longer be trusted to uphold the Constitution. If Donald Trump is reelected, this convicted felon, rapist, and twice-impeached former President will be able to do whatever the hell he wants. It's a scary day for American democracy."
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Jordan King is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on human interest-stories in Africa and the ... Read more
