The Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump has immunity for certain actions he took as president in the federal election interference case against him.
However, this immunity does not cover all of his actions, creating a new hurdle for special counsel Jack Smith to bring the case to trial.
In a significant case regarding presidential power limits, the justices voted 6-3 along ideological lines to reject Trump’s broad claim of immunity.
This means charges related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election will proceed, but some actions tied to his presidential duties are protected from prosecution.
Trump celebrated the decision on Truth Social, calling it a victory for the Constitution and democracy.
His Republican allies praised the ruling, while Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, criticized it, arguing it allows Trump to undermine democracy by breaking the law.
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, stated that lower courts need to determine which of Trump’s actions can be prosecuted. He mentioned that Trump’s interactions with Justice Department officials and Vice President Mike Pence, leading up to the January 6 Capitol attack, are likely protected by immunity.
The indictment claims Trump pressured the Justice Department to investigate baseless election fraud claims to remain in power and wanted Pence to block the election results certification.
Roberts emphasized that the president is not above the law, but Congress cannot criminalize presidential duties.
The ruling’s implications for the case are unclear, with further proceedings required to decide which actions are immune.
Trump’s lawyer acknowledged that some allegations in the indictment involve private conduct, which wouldn’t be protected.
The Justice Department argued that the prosecution could continue even if some official acts are protected.
District Judge Tanya Chutkan will now review which other actions in the indictment might be protected by immunity, including Trump’s interactions with state election officials like Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
