Judge Rules Trump's Jan. 6 Speech Not Official Act

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled on Tuesday that former President Donald Trump's speech at the Ellipse on January 6, 2021, was not an official presidential act and thus does not qualify for immunity from civil lawsuits related to the U.S. Capitol riot. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta's 79-page decision allows consolidated cases brought by Democratic lawmakers and Capitol Police officers to proceed, marking a key development in one of the remaining legal challenges stemming from the events of that day.

Mehta determined that the rally, organized under the banner "Save America," fell outside the scope of Trump's official duties as outlined in a 2024 Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity. That decision granted absolute immunity for core constitutional functions and presumptive immunity for other official acts, but left personal or campaign-related conduct unprotected. In his opinion, Mehta wrote that Trump "has not shown that the Speech reasonably can be understood as falling within the outer perimeter of his Presidential duties." He noted that the event involved no public funds, lacked promotion through White House channels, and was planned primarily by former...