• Zak@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      5 months ago

      This is presumably in reference to a past president, who would not have those powers. The legal issues surrounding prosecuting a sitting president have not been explored, and this ruling does not address them directly as they were not relevant to the case.

      • meleethecat@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        5 months ago

        But Trump won’t be a past president because he won’t leave office until he’s dead. He’ll never be prosecuted, and he knows it.

        • Zak@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          5 months ago

          The risk of something like that happening is not closely connected to anything in the ruling we’re discussing here. If a president manages to hold on to power after losing an election or reaching a term limit, the situation has devolved far beyond ordinary criminal prosecution; the constitution is no longer being enforced at that point.