Senate GOPers Scoff At Trump’s Lawyers Arguing He Could Legally Kill A Political Rival

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s claim to total immunity is a bridge too far for Senate Republicans, even some who are normally willing to say or do anything to show their support for the former president who tried to overthrow democracy.

Trump’s attorney last week argued before the Supreme Court that the presumptive 2024 GOP nominee can’t be held criminally liable for anything he did as president without being first impeached and convicted by Congress. This “absolute” immunity, the lawyer said, applied to outrageous hypotheticals posed by the justices, including a president ordering a military coup, selling nuclear secrets or directing the assassination of a political rival.

On Wednesday, GOP senators squirmed and scoffed when asked if they agree with Trump that a president is immune from being prosecuted for anything, including ordering the murder of a political opponent.

“Obviously, presidents can’t assassinate political rivals,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said flatly.

The court is likely to reject or sidestep Trump’s bid for total immunity, and send the case back to a lower court for more deliberation over what counts as an “official” presidential act. Trump’s team has argued that many of his actions aimed at overturning the 2020 election were part of his official duties — including when he directed the submission of fraudulent slates of alternate electors in the election, despite President Joe Biden’s victory.

“Well, I mean, there’s got to be some immunity for official acts. The question is, what are those,” said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). “I don’t know the answer to that.”

Hawley, a lawyer himself, wouldn’t say whether he would have made the same argument about total immunity that Trump’s lawyers did before the Supreme