Trump v. Anderson

On March 4, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Trump v. Anderson that the state of Colorado could not disqualify Donald J. Trump from its presidential primary ballot under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. A group of Colorado voters led by Norma Anderson had sued to remove Trump, citing his role in the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack. The Colorado Supreme Court had agreed, but the U.S. Supreme Court held that states lack authority to enforce the insurrection clause against federal officeholders and candidates, particularly the presidency. The decision reversed the Colorado ruling, restored Trump's ballot access in Colorado, and effectively ended similar disqualification efforts in other states.

The Supreme Court ruled 9-0 that states may not enforce Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment against federal office seekers; only Congress has that power. The Colorado Supreme Court's decision was reversed.

Whether Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment authorizes a state to exclude a presidential candidate from the ballot; whether the presidency is an "office under the United States"; and whether only Congress may enforce the insurrection clause against federal candidates.

The ruling ensured Donald Trump appeared on presidential primary ballots nationwide and prevented a patchwork of state-level disqualifications. It set a major precedent on the enforcement of the insurrection clause, limiting states' roles and leaving enforcement to Congress. The decision sparked debate over judicial restraint, election integrity, and the boundaries of the Fourteenth Amendment.