Former President Donald Trump had his fair share of controversy over the course of his presidency, and even in the years following the inauguration of President Joe Biden, the politician turned American figurehead has continued to stir the pot plenty of times. The start of 2024 has somehow not brought this idolized riot inciter to a halt in terms of controversy, however, as he is under fire by two state courts, buckling down on the denial of his perpetration in a long-standing sexual abuse scandal, and sowing division in his 2024 presidential campaign against GOP competitor Nikki Haley in the aftermath of the Iowa Caucuses.

In a recent turn of events, Trump has found himself embroiled in a legal controversy with the courts of Colorado and Maine. According to a report from MSN, the U.S. Supreme Court is preparing for oral arguments on whether Trump should be removed from Colorado’s ballot ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

The controversy stems from decisions made by the Supreme Courts of both states to remove Trump from their respective primary ballots due to his alleged role in the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. According to Yahoo News, Trump has appealed these decisions, putting pressure on the nation’s high court to quickly take up these issues regarding the 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner ahead of the primaries in Maine and Colorado in March.

The rulings cite a so-called insurrection clause in the U.S. Constitution, which bars anyone who once took an oath to uphold the Constitution and then engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, from holding public office. As per The Guardian, this is the first time a candidate has been deemed ineligible for the White House under this constitutional provision.

“I think it’s fascinating how this was the first time such a provision was used,” said sophomore Max Mueller. 

In Maine, the decision to remove Trump from the ballot was made by the state’s Democratic Secretary of State, Shenna Bellows, who determined that Trump incited an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, in an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. In Colorado, the case was brought by a group of voters, aided by the group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew), who argued Trump should be disqualified from the ballot for his role in the Capitol riot.

In other news of legal controversies the former President has found himself in, Trump has been singled out in a defamation case brought forth by writer E. Jean Carroll. The case revolves around Trump’s claims that Carroll’s accusations of sexual abuse against him were a hoax.

According to a report from MSN1, Trump has been ordered to pay $83 million in damages for defaming Carroll. This verdict came after a dramatic day in court that saw Trump storm out of the courtroom during Carroll’s closing argument.

Trump briefly took the witness stand last month. During his testimony, he stood by his deposition given in 2022 in which he strongly denied Carroll’s sexual assault allegations and called her a “whack job” according to BBC. However, his comment was stricken from the record as the judge instructed Trump that he couldn’t relitigate the allegations.

When asked if he ever instructed anyone to hurt Carroll, Trump said, “I just wanted to defend myself, my family, and frankly the presidency.” Despite the verdict, Trump has expressed his intent to appeal the decision, stating on his social media platform on Truth Social, “Absolutely ridiculous! They have taken away all First Amendment Rights. THIS IS NOT AMERICA!”

Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, said the “verdict proves that the law applies to everyone in our country, even the rich, even the famous, even former presidents”. The outcome of this case marks a significant moment in the ongoing legal battles involving the former president, and are sure to be imperative in the incredibly divisive 2024 GOP candidacy battles between Trump and competitor Nikki Haley as they quarrel ad hominem for the Republican Party’s nomination.

In the 2024 GOP campaign, the former president emerged as a dominant figure, particularly following the Iowa Caucuses. According to reports by the Associated Press, Trump won the Iowa Caucuses with over 51% of the votes, marking a significant victory.

Following the Iowa Caucuses, two major candidates, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, dropped out of the race. Ramaswamy, who garnered just under 8% of the votes in Iowa, suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump. DeSantis, who finished second in Iowa, also dropped out and endorsed Trump.

The campaign trail has seen a series of debates between Trump and Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and ex-US ambassador to the United Nations. Haley has been using these debates to challenge Trump’s refusal to participate in Republican primary debates. Despite trailing behind Trump in the polls, Haley has been aggressive in her campaign strategy, often targeting Trump’s mental competency and legal issues.

“I think the race between Trump and Haley is super interesting,” said junior Derick Zheng. “I am curious to see how it all plays out.” 

According to The Guardian, Haley’s campaign has been heavily dominated by Trump, who has had a strong poll lead in Iowa itself, as well as in national surveys. However, Haley remains in the race and hopes to make a difference in the upcoming primaries. The outcome of these legal battles and the ongoing campaign could have significant implications for the 2024 presidential election and as the race continues, all eyes are on Trump and Haley, with the latter being seen as the underdog candidate.