Former U.S. President Donald Trump looks on at a campaign event in Waterford Township, Michigan, on Feb. 17, 2024.
Rebecca Cook | Reuters
The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to rule on whether former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal charges in his federal election interference case.
The high court granted Trump’s request to pause the case from moving forward until they decide whether an ex-president is immune from being prosecuted for official acts performed while in office, as Trump claims.
The justices are poised to proceed quickly, with Trump’s court briefs due within three weeks and oral arguments set for the week of April 22. But it could take months for the court to issue an opinion.
If the justices rule against Trump, the case would continue in Washington, D.C. federal court — and it could head to trial in the middle of the presidential campaign, where Trump seeks to beat President Joe Biden.
If the justices rule in Trump’s favor, the case will be dismissed.
The decision to take up the immunity claim extends a pause on a prior ruling from a lower appeals court, which roundly rejected Trump’s argument that he cannot be prosecuted for challenging the 2020 election results because he was president at the time.
Special counsel Jack Smith, who is prosecuting Trump in D.C., had urged the Supreme Court not to let Trump delay the election interference case any further.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
