The U.S. Supreme Court has announced it will hear arguments regarding whether former President Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution, specifically in relation to charges linked to the January 6th insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
The court’s conservative majority issued a brief order setting oral arguments for April 22, potentially delaying the trial in Washington, D.C., until after the 2024 election.
The key question before the court is whether a former president enjoys immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken during their tenure in office.
Trump has sought complete immunity from the charges, but lower courts have rejected his claims, affirming that he is subject to the same legal standards as any other citizen.
Trump’s lawyers will be doing battle on the matter with special counsel Jack Smith.
Before Wednesday ruling from the nation’s highest court, Smith had urged justices for once and all to stop any further attempts by Trump to delay his inevitable criminal trial or grant the petition needed for oral arguments to unfold before them.
Calls for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to recuse himself from the case may resurface, given his wife’s ties to Trump and her involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Thomas has previously recused himself from related matters, and his impartiality in this case could come under scrutiny.
The timing of the Supreme Court’s decision could impact Trump’s trial before U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, potentially jeopardizing the proceedings depending on the court’s resolution and the outcome of the 2024 election.
As Trump remains a presumptive nominee for the GOP, the possibility of self-pardon or dismissal of the case looms if he returns to the White House.
