New York Times correspondent and CNN analyst Maggie Haberman recently shared insights into former President Donald Trump’s sentiments regarding the Supreme Court justices he appointed and their decisions on election issues. Despite appointing three justices to the Supreme Court — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett — Trump is reportedly “very angry” that they haven’t sided with him on matters related to the 2020 election.
The Supreme Court, including the justices appointed by Trump, rejected his election challenges, and now faces decisions on critical issues concerning Trump’s assertion of “absolute immunity” for events related to January 6. Additionally, Trump has been banned from Republican primary ballots in Colorado and Maine, citing a violation of the 14th Amendment due to his alleged involvement in the January 6 insurrection.
During an appearance on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, Haberman shared that Trump and his team are not optimistic about winning the case related to presidential immunity. However, they express more confidence in the Supreme Court’s stance on the 14th Amendment issue. Trump is expected to attend arguments for the immunity case, creating a spectacle, even though his chances are considered slim.
Haberman explained that Trump believes he is his own best defender and communicator, and he sees his presence as impactful in these matters. Despite concerns that the justices he appointed might be reluctant to side with him politically, Trump remains determined to make a personal appearance during the proceedings. Haberman suggested that Trump’s decision to attend may also be driven by a fear of regret if the outcome doesn’t favor him.
Addressing Trump’s potential motives, Haberman noted that he sees fundraising opportunities in such situations, highlighting his tendency to fundraise on various issues. The interview provided insights into Trump’s emotions regarding the Supreme Court decisions and his strategy of direct involvement in legal matters that directly affect him.
COOPER: Maggie, how much do you think the former president is betting on favorable Supreme Court intervention? Whether it’s the issue of ballot qualification or immunity from prosecution.
MAGGIE HABERMAN: I think those are different cases. I don’t think that his folks are — or he are particularly optimistic that they’re going to win on the presidential immunity. Although as you said and reported earlier that he is going to show up next week for arguments that he’s not going to be able to be part of, but he will be there, and it will create a spectacle certainly.
On this question, which is a separate one, his team feels more confident that the Supreme Court is going to go with him. He has said that himself, but he has also said to other people, and one of his lawyers confirmed this reporting earlier today. He has said to some people he’s concerned that the justices, who he appointed, are going to be afraid of looking like they’re taking his side politically and not doing that.
And some of that is because he has been very angry, as you know, at the justices he appointed that they haven’t gone his way. They’ve gone his way on policy matters on a number of cases. They have not on his election-related cases.
COOPER: Why is he going to show up? And is it simply because it will create a spectacle?
HABERMAN: Number one, number two, he sees himself as his own best defender and communicator right now. And he believes that he can impact all of these things best. And that he hasn’t tried as has been described to me by people who have spoken to him on this particular issue that he will regret it if it doesn’t go his way.
COOPER: Will he — I mean, he can also fund-raise obviously.
HABERMAN: He fund-raise off everything. He fund-raises on everything. This, I suspect, will not be an exception.
