Donald Trump has been accused of violating federal law by allegedly calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the ceasefire deal the U.S. is helping negotiate between Israel and Hamas.
The former president allegedly made the call on August 14, according to Axios, which cited two unnamed “U.S. sources who were briefed on the call.”
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If Trump did make the call, he would potentially be breaking the law as the Logan Act, enacted in 1799, prohibits unauthorized private citizens from negotiating with foreign governments on behalf of the U.S.
American Muckrakers, an organization that states it seeks to hold politicians and officials accountable, has filed a request with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of State.
It was prosecuted twice. Both times before the Civil War. But nobody has ever actually been convicted.
Things are different today. Prosecutors realize that a law criminalizing the act of negotiating is probably going to run into First Amendment issues.