President Joe Biden was questioned by a reporter on Wednesday about his main political opponent being removed from the ballot in Colorado.
On Tuesday, the Colorado Supreme Court disqualified President Donald Trump from appearing on the 2024 GOP presidential primary ballot after ruling that he was "involved in aiding an insurrection on January 6, 2021."
"A majority of the court holds that President Trump is disqualified from holding the office of President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution," the ruling said. "Because he is disqualified, it would be a wrongful act under the Election Code for the Colorado Secretary of State to list him as a candidate on the presidential primary ballot.”
The lawsuit was filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW), a Washington D.C.-based watchdog group. They argued that former President Trump was involved in aiding an insurrection on January 6, 2021 — and therefore ineligible to run in the 2024 election. The group cited a never-before-used Civil War-era provision to the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which states:“No person shall ... hold any office, civil or military, under the United States ... who, having previously taken an oath ... as an officer of the United States, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”
The following day, Biden was traveling to Milwaukee to speak at the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce when a reporter asked for his thoughts on the ruling.
“Your reaction to the Colorado ruling!?” the reporter shouted at the president on the tarmac.
“I’m not gonna comment on a court case! That’s up to the court,” Biden replied.
The president went on to assert that Trump "certainly supported an insurrection."
"Is Trump an insurrectionist, sir?" a reporter asked. BIDEN: "Whether the 14th Amendment applies, we'll let the Court make that decision" pic.twitter.com/IB93ReYyOk
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 20, 2023
“Whether the 14th Amendment applies, we’ll let the Court make that decision,” Biden said. “He certainly supported an insurrection. No question about it. None. Zero. He seems to be doubling down on about everything.”
Trump has not been charged or convicted of engaging in insurrection against the United States.
The Colorado Republican Party has said that they will "withdraw from the Primary as a Party and convert to a pure caucus system if this is allowed to stand."
Trump has indicated that he will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which holds a conservative majority.
