Trump claims he's 'not insurrectionist' and points finger at Biden

Donald Trump has insisted that he is “not an insurrectionist”, instead trying to blame president Joe Biden in the wake of a court ruling that could see his name removed from Colorado's presidential primary vote next year.

Trump made no reference to the shock ruling at a rally earlier this week, instead taking to his social media platform Truth Social two days later.

He wrote: “I’m not an Insurrectionist (‘PEACEFULLY & PATRIOTICALLY’). Crooked Joe Biden is!!!”

The ruling in Colorado Supreme Court ruled that Trump is disqualified from being president because of a clause in the 14th Amendment.

The clause bars anyone who took an oath to uphold the constitution, but then “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” from holding state or federal office.

Trump is therefore banned from appearing on the 2024 Republican primary ballot in the state.

The ruling was referring to Trump’s role in the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

Trump’s campaign called the decision “completely flawed” and “undemocratic”.

A spokesperson said: “Unsurprisingly, the all-Democrat appointed Colorado Supreme Court has ruled against President Trump, supporting a Soros-funded, left-wing group’s scheme to interfere in an election on behalf of Crooked Joe Biden by removing President Trump’s name from the ballot and eliminating the rights of Colorado voters to vote for the candidate of their choice.”

Meanwhile, Trump’s competitors in the upcoming primary also supported the former president’s right to take part.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis said: “The Left invokes ‘democracy’ to justify its use of power, even if it means abusing judicial power to remove a candidate from the ballot based on spurious legal grounds. SCOTUS should reverse.”

New Jersey governor Chris Christie added: “I don’t think a court should exclude somebody from running for president without there being a trial and evidence that’s accepted by a jury that they did participate in insurrection.”

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