The US Supreme Court will hold a special session on Thursday to hear arguments over whether presidential immunity protects Donald Trump from prosecution in the special counsel case regarding his attempt to overturn the 2020 election result.
The former president argues that a Nixon-era ruling gives him broad immunity from prosecution over his time in office, while special counsel Jack Smith’s points to another Nixon case holding that presidents don’t have “absolute, unqualified” judicial immunity regarding official acts.
The 25 April arguments will impact whether Trump faces the special counsel case in Washington, and could influence whether the prosecution moves forward before the November presidential election.
It’s not the first time he’s faced a key decision at the high court in 2024. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court ruled that states didn’t have the authority to remove Trump’s presidential ballot eligibility using the 14th amendment.
Why the ghosts of the Nixon administration will hover over Donald Trump’s immunity hearings
But the two sides are using the Nixon cases to push opposing arguments.
Josh Marcus24 April 2024 22:45
Donald Trump heads back to the Supreme Court
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Donald Trump’s upcoming Supreme Court hearing regarding the scope of his immunity from prosecution.
The arguments could determine the future of special counsel Jack Smith’s case against the former president — and maybe the fate of the 2024 election itself.