Supreme Court Rejects Longshot Bid to Disqualify Trump from Presidential Race - Find Out Why!

The Supreme Court announced on Monday that it will not consider a low probability legal challenge regarding Donald Trump's eligibility to run for president, based on his alleged involvement in the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. The lawsuit was filed by John Anthony Castro, a relatively unknown candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, with the intention of disqualifying Trump from running for president and serving in the office due to his alleged support for the convicted criminals and insurgents who violently assaulted the US Capitol.

The case was denied without any comment or recorded vote.

A doorman stands outside of Trump Tower, in New York, New York, on April 3, 2023.

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The Trump Organization seeks to determine the future of its business following a ruling on fraud charges. Castros legal case against Trump is based on a provision of the 14th Amendment, enacted after the Civil War, which states that any American official who swears an oath to uphold the US Constitution is ineligible for future public office if they have participated in insurrection or rebellion or provided support to insurrectionists.

This case is distinct from the other 14th Amendment lawsuits against Trump in Minnesota and Colorado, set for trials later this year. The Constitution does not provide explicit instructions on enforcing this prohibition, and it has been utilized on rare occasions since the late 1800s, primarily targeting former Confederates.

"The purpose of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was to disqualify individuals who were strongly in support of insurrection from running for office. With this in mind, Castro argues that he falls directly within the group of individuals that Section 3 was designed to protect, while Trump represents the kind of person that the framers of the amendment sought to disqualify."

Castro's case was initially dismissed by a lower court, which determined that he did not have the legal right or standing to bring forth the challenge. In his petition to the Supreme Court, Castro asks the justices to decide whether he does indeed have standing in this matter.

"A primary candidate who believes that a fellow primary candidate is ineligible to hold public office has the right to challenge their eligibility for competitive injury, such as a decrease in votes and/or fundraising. This is to prevent actions that are incompatible with the U.S. Constitution," stated Castro in his court documents.

Castro, who is not seen as a strong candidate for the 2024 GOP nomination, does not meet the requirements to participate in any of the GOP debates. He mentioned in court papers that his campaign efforts have mainly focused on creating a website and participating in photo opportunities.

Arriving to address the Georgia state GOP convention in Columbus, Georgia, former U.S. President Donald Trump was indicted on Friday by a federal grand jury. The indictment included 37 felony counts related to Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into classified documents. This photo was taken at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center on June 10, 2023. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

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The chance of Trump winning another term is very real

Several other groups have recently brought forth similar challenges to Trump's eligibility in an attempt to prevent his return to the Oval Office. These cases, taking place in Minnesota and Colorado, are considerably more significant legal endeavors compared to Castro's challenge. Moreover, they enjoy support from a diverse range of legal experts and constitutional scholars, although their chances of success remain uncertain. Despite the allegations, Trump maintains his innocence and has made a firm commitment to combat any efforts to remove him from the presidential ballot.

CNNs Marshall Cohen contributed to this report.