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President Joe Biden on Monday warned that the Supreme Court's decision to grant presidents immunity from criminal prosecution for "official acts" will fundamentally change the country.
"This nation was founded on the principle that there are no kings in America — each of us is equal before the law. No one is above the law, not even the president of the United States," Biden, speaking from the Cross Hall of the White House, said. "Today's Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity — that fundamentally changed for all practical purposes. Today's decision almost certainly means that there are virtually no limits on what the president can do."
The Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling was a partial but substantial victory for former President Donald Trump. It determined that courts are not permitted to inquire into the president's motives when deciding whether an act was official or unofficial, and all official acts are granted absolute immunity.
"This a fundamentally new principle, and it's a dangerous precedent because the power of the office will no longer be constrained by the law, even including the Supreme Court of the United States," Biden said several hours after the decision was handed down. "The only limits will be self-imposed by the president alone."
Before leaving the stage, Biden quoted Justice Sonia Sotomayor's scathing dissent, which read that the immunity ruling makes the president "a king above the law." He added solemnly: "May God help preserve our democracy."
Representatives for the Biden administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
