Presidents Are Not Kings Judge Says Trump Can't Claim Executive Privil

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Presidents Are Not Kings Judge Says Trump Can't Claim Executive Privilege A federal court judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump cannot invoke executive privilege to block all presidential communications he made in relation to the events leading up to the January 6 Capitol riots. U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan "The (executive) privilege is not absolute. It exists for the benefit of the Republic, not any individual." Referring to Trump, Chutkan wrote, "Plaintiff does not acknowledge the deference owed to the incumbent President's judgment. His position that he may override the express will of the executive branch appears to be premised on the notion that his executive power 'exists in perpetuity.' But Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President." Chutkan's decision rested largely on laws and court arguments made after the presidency of Republican Richard Nixon. Nixon sought to destroy recordings he made in the Oval Office. When Congress moved to stop him, he invoked executive privilege. Executive privilege is a presidential power that bars the president's communications from being shared with Congress. Did Trump's sphichter just pucker?