The second US state banned Trump from running for president

Following Colorado, the state of Maine also banned Trump's participation in the US presidential election.

Maine has become the second state, after Colorado, to ban former President Donald Trump from the ballot for the November 2024 election.

Maine Secretary of State Shane Bello said also linked this decision to the 14th Amendment . According to it, "A federal or state official shall not participate in rebellion or insurrection against the state or give aid or comfort to the enemies of the state."

"I understand that no [state] secretary of state has ever disqualified a presidential candidate from being placed on the ballot under the third clause of the 14th amendment. However, I understand that no presidential candidate has ever participated in a rebellion before," he wrote.

He also accused Trump of "inventing election fraud in the months leading up to January 6, 2021, to incite his supporters and send them to the Capitol."

Stephen Chong, a spokesman for the former US leader's campaign, in turn , called Bello an "extremely biased pro-Biden Democrat" and said he was meddling in the election process. He promised to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeal .

Earlier, on December 20, the Supreme Court of Colorado decided to exclude Trump from the list of candidates for the presidency of the United States based on Article 14 of the Constitution. This is the first time in US election history that a candidate for the country's top leadership has been disqualified from campaigning under this clause. The ruling does not take effect until January 4, 2024, allowing the court to consider an appeal filed by Trump.