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Simon Ateba // X

Official and unofficial acts explained: The Supreme Court ruled today that every American President or former President, including Trump, Biden, Obama, Bush, etc., has immunity for their official acts and zero immunity for their unofficial acts. In the case of Trump, the Court sent back Jack Smith’s indictments to DC to determine what were official acts and what were not. The DC court will decide. This will certainly take time and will be decided after the elections, which is a win for Trump.

Generally speaking, an “official act” for a president typically refers to actions taken as part of their official duties and responsibilities in their capacity as the head of state and government. These acts are performed in the execution of their constitutional and legal duties.

Here are a few examples of official acts and actions that are not considered official:

Official Acts:

Signing Legislation: Approving bills passed by Congress to become law.

Issuing Executive Orders: Directing the operations of the federal government or implementing specific policies.

Appointing Federal Officials: Nominating individuals to key positions, such as judges, cabinet members, and agency heads, often with Senate confirmation.

Conducting Foreign Policy: Engaging in diplomacy, negotiating treaties (with Senate ratification), and representing the United States in international forums.

Granting Pardons and Reprieves: Exercising the power to forgive or reduce the penalties for federal offenses.

Delivering the State of the Union Address: Providing Congress with information on the state of the nation and recommending measures.

Non-Official Acts:

Campaign Activities: Participating in rallies, fundraising events, or other campaign-related activities for re-election or supporting other candidates.

Personal Actions: Engaging in activities unrelated to presidential duties, such as personal business dealings or family matters.

Political Endorsements: Publicly supporting candidates or political parties outside of official duties.

Social Events: Attending or hosting purely social gatherings without a connection to official presidential responsibilities.

Public Statements on Personal Opinions: Making statements or giving speeches on matters unrelated to their role as president.

MY TAKE: Trump’s victory here is that the DC court decision might delay his trial until after the elections. Trump had wanted absolute immunity for all the actions taken by a president while in office. The court ruled that Trump and any other American President only have immunity for their official acts and nothing else.

MY TAKE: Supporters often do not want the full story in politics. It often baffles me when people believe what politicians say. In my view, no one should believe any politician. They would always claim they were the best, and they won a total victory, and this and that.

MY TAKE: Today’s ruling means that Biden cannot just order the assassination of his political opponent or refuse to leave office after losing an election. It simply means a President should follow the Constitution and the law and is protected while doing their job by the laws and nothing else.

https://x.com/simonateba/status/1807806666261311802?s=46&t=f_8PqEXFBlW87QFKb_1Q4g