The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that President Trump is entitled to immunity from federal prosecution for official actions taken while in office.
In a historic 6-3 ruling, the justices declared for the first time that former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for their official acts and no immunity for unofficial acts. However, instead of applying this decision directly, the justices ordered lower courts to determine how to implement it in Trump's case.
This outcome will likely result in additional delays before Trump could face trial in the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
The 6-3 decision overturns a ruling from the federal appeals court in Washington, which had concluded that Trump is not entitled to broad immunity from criminal charges related to an alleged scheme to retain power after the 2020 election.
The ruling from the nation's highest court represents an expansion of presidential power, extending presidential immunity to criminal prosecutions of former presidents for their official conduct. This is the first time the Supreme Court has considered whether a former commander in chief could face criminal charges for actions taken while in office. Trump is the first former president to face prosecution for conduct during his presidency.
