When Donald Trump Admitted, For the First Time, That His Actions Might Have Been Against the Law

Earlier this year, Donald Trump seemed to acknowledge, for the first time, that his actions preceding the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack might have been unlawful. As reported by HuffPost, he expressed this sentiment on his Truth Social platform. He wrote, “Even events that ‘cross the line’ must fall under total immunity, or it will be years of trauma trying to determine good from bad." In a social media post, Trump addressed the federal prosecution against him concerning the Capitol attack. Since the day a mob of his supporters stormed the Capitol building, the ex-president has consistently asserted that his actions were entirely appropriate.

Moreover, the mob's attempt to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence and Congress to secure a second term for Trump despite his electoral loss added a complex layer to the already tragic events that unfolded back then. Remarkably, in the four criminal cases against Trump, he and his legal team have exclusively contended that he is immune in the federal Jan. 6 case. Furthermore, Trump provided a statement to reporters last week following oral arguments in his appeal against a trial court ruling, acknowledging that former presidents are not, in fact, immune from prosecution for crimes committed while in office.

Nonetheless, Trump maintained his innocence, asserting to reporters that he had committed no mistake. According to The New York Times, the former President publicly denounced the Justice Department's prosecution as 'unfair,' attributing it to political motives. In the same conversation, he delved into the latest polls for the 2024 presidential race and reiterated his belief in substantial voter fraud during the 2020 election, which President Joe Biden won.

Meanwhile, providing commentary on Trump's social media posts, Glenn Kirschner, a former federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., for two decades, also offered his perspective. He said, “It’s probably vague, conditional, and hypothetical enough that it probably won’t be used by prosecutors as an admission of guilt … particularly because there is already overwhelming evidence of criminality. But if I was prosecuting Trump, I’d put a ‘Government Exhibit’ sticker on it just in case I decided to use it.” The case comprises four serious charges against Trump. These allegations include accusations of conspiring to defraud the United States, conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, obstructing an official proceeding, and conspiring to deprive millions of their votes.

Legal experts, in alignment with other attorneys, are of the consensus that Trump's recent statement is likely to offer limited utility to prosecutors. Moreover, in the hypothetical scenario where Trump's immunity defense proves unsuccessful, he would find himself compelled to face trial on a series of felony charges, each carrying the weighty potential of a decades-long prison sentence. Despite the criminal charges, Trump maintains a commanding position as the frontrunner in polls for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. This was further solidified earlier this month when he secured a significant victory in the Iowa caucuses, outpacing the second-place contender by a considerable margin.

This article originally appeared 10 months ago.