Former President Donald Trump can be sued for inciting the January 6, 2021, riot at the United States Capitol building, a federal appeals court ruled on Friday. Trump’s attorneys have argued his presidential immunity protects him from liability, arguing that his words involved “matters of public concern,” the Associated Press reported. But a federal court on Friday declined to dismiss the lawsuits on that basis. The three-judge panel noted, however, the ruling was not the final word on whether Trump’s presidential immunity applies to the case and does reflect “no view on the ultimate merits of the claims,” according to the Associated Press. Judges open Trump new lawsuitsThe panel found that Trump was operating “in his personal capacity as a presidential candidate,” rather than his official capacity, at the time of the rally, Reuters reported.
