The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that former President Donald Trump is disqualified from holding the presidency under the Constitution's insurrection clause. This marks the first time a court has found him ineligible to return to the White House due to his conduct surrounding the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. The court ordered the secretary of state to exclude Trump's name from the state's Republican presidential primary ballot.
The court's majority, in a 4-3 decision, cited "clear and convincing evidence that President Trump engaged in insurrection" and concluded that he is disqualified under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. The ruling is unprecedented and raises significant legal and constitutional questions.
Trump's campaign has announced its intention to appeal the decision to the US Supreme Court. The Colorado Supreme Court paused its decision until January 4, one day before the deadline for Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold to certify the candidates for the state's March 5 primary. If the U.S. Supreme Court takes up the case before January 4, the stay will remain in place.
The decision has sparked widespread condemnation from Republicans, and Trump's opponents in the race for the party's presidential nomination have criticised the court's intervention in the electoral process. Legal challenges related to Trump's candidacy are ongoing in multiple states, adding complexity to the 2024 election landscape.
