Donald Trump had himself an eventful, and positive, 24-hour stretch on Thursday (Feb. 8). The Supreme Court, a United States District Court, the Justice Department, and the state of Nevada helped Trump earn four pivotal political wins as he continues his quest for re-election. Don’t worry – we’re going to break down everything that happened and why it has Democrats worried.
1. SCOTUS Sides With Trump On 14th Amendment Case
On Dec. 19, the Colorado Supreme Court disqualified Trump from the 2024 Republican primary ballot after deeming him an ‘insurrectionist’ for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the US Capitol. The challengers cited Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bars anyone who engages in an insurrection from running for office.
On Feb. 8, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) heard arguments on that same case – and it didn’t go too well for Colorado. It’ll take a few weeks before they issue an official decision, but a majority of the Justices appeared skeptical of the idea – questioning the implications it might have on future elections.
Trump Claims That Nancy Pelosi Caused The Attack
Trump’s lawyer, Jonathan Mitchell, described the attack as a ‘riot’ and even called it ‘criminal,’ but refused to call it an ‘insurrection’ and, therefore, didn’t describe Trump as an ‘insurrectionist.’ Meanwhile, Trump took a completely different stance – calling the attack an ‘insurrection,’ but claiming that Nancy Pelosi caused it.
The Supreme Court can either disqualify Trump from running for re-election, determine he’s not an ‘insurrectionist’ and allow him to continue to race, or send the decision back to lawmakers and voters – letting them decide. Looking at how the Feb. 8 hearings went, they’ll likely allow him to run for re-election. That’s one win for Trump – here’s the second.
2. Federal Judges Are Ignoring Trump’s Repeated Harassment
Later that night, Special Counsel Jack Smith criticized US District Judge Aileen Cannon for continuing to side with Trump – the man who appointed her to the position in 2020. Earlier in the week, she decided the counsel hadn’t presented a strong enough argument to keep the witness list in the Mar-A-Lago classified documents case sealed.
Smith argued that unsealing the list (which would release it to the public) puts dozens of people at risk and could undermine the argument against Trump. People are already receiving threats for opposing Trump, and, if unsealed, witnesses won’t want to participate in the argument – for their own safety.
This Isn’t Cannon’s First Time Favoring Trump
Cannon’s recent decision has many Democrats saying the same thing – she has a clear and obvious bias for Trump and his defense. Throughout the case, Cannon has repeatedly allowed Trump to delay the proceedings, and, while her decision will likely be overturned, it will do exactly that – delay it even more.
“There’s almost no chance that that trial is going to happen before the November election,” said one former federal prosecutor (Neama Rahmani). “And of course, if Trump is elected and he regains control of the White House,,the prosecution goes away.” That’s another win for Trump – here’s the third.
3. Justice Department Questions Biden’s Mental Health
Also, on Feb. 8, right around the same time Smith launched his attack on Cannon, the Justice Department revealed that it wouldn’t charge President Joe Biden for mishandling classified documents. While that might not seem like a win, it was what the report said that had Trump extra giddy.
The Justice Department, in a report filed by special counsel Robert Hur, found that Biden did willfully retain classified documents, but part of why he wasn’t being charged was because he would present to a jury as an ‘elderly man with a poor memory’ – alluding to his inability to remember key points of his life.
Trump’s ‘Sleepy Joe’ Narrative Lives On
Donald Trump coined the nickname ‘Sleepy Joe’ in 2019 to describe Biden’s frequent mental gaffs, inability to speak clearly, poor memory, and occasional naps during key events. The nickname caught on with Trump’s loyal supporters and eventually went viral as a meme.
Hur’s report on Feb. 8 helped feed that narrative – giving Trump even more ammunition for his campaign. They’re only four years apart (Trump is 77 and Biden is 81), but Trump’s supporters will continue to question whether Biden is fit enough to be president – and that’s the third win for Trump. Here’s the fourth!
4. Trump Wins Yet Another Republican Primary
To cap off his four-win day, Donald Trump secured yet another Republican primary victory with a win in Nevada – adding 26 delegates to his growing margin. After winning New Hampshire and Iowa last month, he now has a 63-17 lead over Nikki Haley.
There are two more primaries to come in the month of February – South Carolina on Feb. 24 and Michigan (primary) on Feb. 27. Michigan will also hold a caucus on March 2, while Idaho, Missouri, Washington D.C., and North Dakota will hold primaries before Super Tuesday kicks off on March 5.
How Many Delegates Does Donald Trump Need?
While Trump has 63 delegates early on, he still has a way to go before he’s the Republican candidate – granted Haley remains in the race. Trump needs 1,215 delegates to beat out Haley, and most of those will be handed out on Super Tuesday. Until then, Trump will continue to put pressure on Haley.
Unless something happens in one of Trump’s criminal cases or Supreme Court cases, there’s a good chance we see a 2020 rematch between Trump and Biden this November. The last thing Democrats want is to have to deal with Trump again – but he’s coming.
What About Trump’s ‘Presidential Immunity’ Case?
The four-win day comes a few days after he received a major blow to his 2024 campaign. Earlier in the week, a federal appeals court ruled that Donald Trump does not have presidential immunity, and, therefore, can be tried for his role in the Jan. 6 attack.
“For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant. But any executive immunity that may have protected him while he served as President no longer protects him against this prosecution,” the court wrote.
