The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled that former President Donald Trump can remain on 2024 presidential primary ballots, reversing a decision by the state of Colorado's top court to disqualify him over his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol.
A day before "Super Tuesday," when 15 states and one territory hold nominating contests for the 2024 general election, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of Trump's appeal against the decision. It is a significant win for Trump, clearing a major legal obstacle in his bid to return to the White House.
On Dec. 19, the Colorado court, in a 4-3 vote, said Trump was ineligible to be president again under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which bars individuals who took an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution from holding office should they engage in insurrection against it.
The decision sent shockwaves through the country as it was the first time a U.S. court had found Trump, the clear front-runner in the Republican Party nominating race for the presidential election, ineligible to run for the White House again.
On Monday, the nine-member Supreme Court, which added conservative justices under the Trump administration, said the post-Civil War-era clause included in the 14th Amendment can only be enforced by Congress against would-be or current federal officeholders.
"We conclude that states may disqualify persons holding or attempting to hold state office. But states have no power under the Constitution to enforce Section 3 with respect to federal offices, especially the presidency," the court said.
Trump, who was in office for four years through January 2021, seeks a rematch against Democratic President Joe Biden in the election on Nov. 5. "BIG WIN FOR AMERICA!!!" he wrote on his social media platform.
In addition to reversing Colorado's decision, the Supreme Court ruling also ends similar cases that had threatened to boot Trump from primary ballots in Maine and Illinois. Colorado and Maine are among the many states holding "Super Tuesday" presidential primaries or caucuses.
Trump has claimed that he had no involvement in the Capitol Hill riot that challenged the 2020 presidential election results and delayed the certification of Biden's victory.
Despite facing 91 criminal charges, including those related to efforts to overturn his loss in the previous election, Trump has won almost all the Republican nominating contests, garnering 247 delegates as compared to 43 for his last remaining rival, Nikki Haley. A candidate in the party needs to collect at least 1,215 delegates to win its presidential nomination.
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