 Jailing Donald Trump will only help him win the next US presidential race and can't stop him taking office, one of his campaign chiefs has said. The former president appeared in court on Thursday to deny four charges over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election result. Since he is the overwhelming favourite to win the Republican nomination for the 2024 race, the impending trial has sparked fierce debate within the party over what to do if he's convicted. Last week, Trump vowed to stay in the race even if he's found guilty, insisting there's 'nothing in the Constitution' that could stop him. He is correct, and the principle was tested in 1920 when Socialist Party nominee Eugene V Debs won nearly a million votes while in jail for denouncing America's decision to join the First World War. But there is no such precedent to show what would happen if he won. According to John Fredericks, a radio talk show host who chaired the Trump campaign in the state of Virginia in 2016 and 2020, a newly re-elected Trump would simply call on the president's power to pardon people for federal crimes. Trump repeated his claims that the charges against him are 'political persecution' (Picture: AP) Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today Programme on Friday, he said: 'If he goes to jail, he'll run from jail, and he'll win from jail. And then the Supreme Court justice will have to go to his prison cell, swear him in as president, and one minute later, he'll pardon himself, walk out and save America.' Legal experts say it's still not clear whether presidents can indeed pardon themselves, and that the Supreme Court would likely end up having to weigh up arguments either way. Mr Fredericks cited new polling suggesting that a growing number of American floating voters would vote for Trump – though the figure is still only around 20%. Speaking of the d){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Jailing Donald Trump will only help him win the next US presidential race and can’t stop him taking office, one of his campaign chiefs has said.
The former president appeared in court on Thursday to deny four charges over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election result.
Since he is the overwhelming favourite to win the Republican nomination for the 2024 race, the impending trial has sparked fierce debate within the party over what to do if he’s convicted.
Last week, Trump vowed to stay in the race even if he’s found guilty, insisting there’s ‘nothing in the Constitution’ that could stop him.