In the realm of private discussions, former President Donald Trump appears to harbor genuine concerns about the potential Supreme Court rulings regarding his eligibility on the ballot in certain states for the upcoming general election. Despite his outwardly confident demeanor, Trump’s worries were discussed during a segment on CNN’s The Situation Room with anchor Kaitlan Collins, who sought insights from political analyst Maggie Haberman.
Collins inquired about Trump’s reaction to being excluded from the ballot in states such as Colorado and Maine, and whether his private sentiments aligned with his public statements portraying himself as a victim of election interference. Haberman shed light on Trump’s behind-the-scenes responses, revealing that privately, Trump echoes his public assertions, labeling the situation as “election interference” and employing familiar political arguments. However, these legal challenges represent an additional burden for Trump and his team, who are already grappling with a substantial caseload.
Despite the adversity, some of Trump’s political advisers see a potential short-term advantage in these ballot exclusion cases, particularly in Colorado, where he remains on the ballot while the legal process unfolds. The decision in Colorado has been temporarily stayed, allowing Trump to maintain his presence on the ballot. However, the outcome in Maine remains uncertain.
While Trump and his advisers express optimism about prevailing at the Supreme Court, they acknowledge a degree of concern. Trump, having appointed three Supreme Court justices and solidified a conservative supermajority, is apprehensive that the Court may appear reluctant to rule in his favor, potentially ruling against him. This internal unease underscores the complexity and uncertainty surrounding Trump’s legal battles, with the final decisions poised to have significant implications for his political future and the upcoming election. The situation remains fluid, and the ultimate stance of the Supreme Court on these matters is yet to unfold.
Collins: [Trump] himself doesn’t seem to have said anything about this. How’s he reacted privately to being removed from the ballot, not just in Maine, but in other states as well?
Haberman: Privately, he’s saying similar things to what he’s saying publicly, Kaitlan, which is “this is election interference,” and making all the political arguments that we have gotten used to. This isn’t something that his folks are seeking out. It’s yet another set of court cases when they already have a pretty full load of those.
But some of his political advisers do think there is political advantage, at least in the short term. In Colorado, he’s still on the ballot. So even as that case is likely to go forward to the Supreme Court, he is on the ballot because the decision of the ruling there has been stayed. In Maine, we don’t quite know yet what’s going to happen.
They believe, generally speaking, he and his advisers, that they will have success at the Supreme Court. But he has also voiced some concern that a court that has, you know, he appointed three of the justices to the Supreme Court and gave the conservatives a supermajority. He is concerned that they are going to look as if they’re trying not to rule in his favor and might rule against him. We will see.
