Donald Trump claims he had presidential immunity from prosecution for trying to interfere with the outcome of the 2020 election, in which he was beaten by Joe Biden. The Supreme Court has agreed to consider his case, a decision that will likely delay the trial itself.
The legal question the court will decide is "whether and if so to what extent does a former president enjoy presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office," the order said.
Even if Trump loses, the trial could not take place until well into election season, raising questions about whether it will take place at all before Election Day in November. If Trump were to win his appeal before the court, the charges would be dismissed.
With the Jan 6 riots, Trump stretched the legal impunity enjoyed by elites in the U.S. to the point where it needs explicit constitutional grounding, and it's now the job of SCOTUS to carve out the (former) president's share.
