Former President Donald Trump quietly fears the Supreme Court will back Colorado’s decision to bump him from the state's presidential ballot, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman told CNN Friday.
“He has also voiced some concern,” Haberman told Kaitlan Collins.
Specifically, Trump fears his “supermajority” — created with the appointments of Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, and Neil Gorsuch — will render verdicts against him to prove they are not influenced by him, Haberman said.
“He appointed three of the justices and gave the conservatives a super majority,” Haberman said. "He is concerned they will look as if they are trying not to rule in his favor and might rule against him.”
The case in question concerns a political watchdog group's 14th Amendment challenge to Trump's eligibility to run under the insurrectionist ban.
Colorado's Supreme Court ruled Trump violated that ban with his actions leading up to, and on, Jan. 6, 2021, in a decision that now faces appeal.
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Trump's private concerns contrast starkly with public bravado his political advisors hope will distract from his conservative competitors campaigning hard ahead of the election year's kick-off, according to Haberman.
“This is crowding out final days of the primaries,” Haberman said. “His rivals, who are trailing him, need to get attention.”
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley did dominate the news cycle this week, but is was when she stumbled on a question about the cause of the Civil War — her response cited state rights and not slavery — and potentially torpedoed her own campaign.
But eyes on both side of the aisle remain peeled on Trump and numerous court “issues” that include 91 criminal charges and a presidential immunity defense working its way through the court of appeals.
Meanwhile, according to Haberman, Trump’s political team believes the Colorado case's journey toward the Supreme Court serves their candidate in two different ways.
As the cases move toward the court, Trump picks up publicity and the means to present himself as an underdog to his base, she said.
"His political advisers do think there is political advantage," Haberman said. "His team is collapsing all of his under the rubric of witch hunt."
His advisors hope the second hoped-for service will be provided by the justices themselves, Haberman said.
"They believe," Haberman said, "that they will have success at the Supreme Court."
