“Supreme Court Showdown: Will Trump Make the 2024 Ballot?

In the wake of an increasingly contentious and divided political landscape, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is facing pressure to decide if President Donald Trump will be on the 2024 election ballot. The 2020 election results had Trump refusing to accept his defeat and alleging multiple instances of election fraud. This, coupled with the current White House administration’s plans to potentially run again for the presidency, has only added to the fervent debates around this question. Back in December of 2020, a few of the states that voted for Trump filed an amicus brief seeking to give the sitting President a novel way to secure his place on the ballot. This motion was ultimately rejected by the court as it was seen as politically motivated. However, their opposition has not stopped the administration’s efforts to pursue an unorthodox path to the White House come 2024. The Trump administration recently tasked a panel of lawyers and former judges to look into whether or not a legal argument can be made for President Trump to be essentially “grandfathered” onto the ballot. But SCOTUS is left to ponder how this would affect states that voted for former Vice President Joe Biden or whether Trump, as a private citizen, would be able to challenge any state laws that deny him a rightful chance at the ballot. The Trump administration is pushing for what some are calling “an end-run” around the Constitution’s elector structure and it’s pitting conservatives against liberals on potentially controversial issues. Should the court decide to consider the issue, it will have to balance the Constitution’s demands against the current divide in the country, as political passions remain inflamed in the wake of a contested election. The implications of SCOTUS deciding to take up the case are huge. It could set a precedent for future administrations to circumvent laws and put them in an advantageous position for future elections. It could also potentially lead to further hostilities between candidates and damage both parties’ chances in the upcoming election. Whatever the court decides, it will be a major ruling with the potential to shape the political future of the nation.