President Joe Biden addressed the SCOTUS ruling on presidential immunity, stating that it will fundamentally change the country. He quoted Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s dissent, warning of the risk to democracy posed by the ruling. Biden emphasized that the nation was founded on the principle of equality before the law, and that no one, not even the president, is above the law.
Speaking from the White House, Biden expressed concern that the Supreme Court’s decision means there are virtually no limits on what the president can do. The ruling, which granted absolute immunity for official acts, was seen as a victory for former President Donald Trump. Biden criticized the new principle as a dangerous precedent that could allow the president to act without any constraints from the law.
Before leaving the stage, Biden quoted Justice Sotomayor’s dissent, which labeled the immunity ruling as making the president “a king above the law.” He urged for the preservation of democracy in the face of this decision. The Biden administration did not provide immediate comment on the ruling to Business Insider.