Supreme Court to Decide if Former President Trump Can Face Criminal Prosecution

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to tackle a historic case involving former President Donald Trump and the question of whether he can be criminally prosecuted for his actions following the 2020 presidential election. Trump, who lost to Joe Biden by 7 million popular votes, is facing four felony counts pressed by special counsel Jack Smith, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and obstruction of an official proceeding.

Trump’s legal team argues that as a former president, he enjoys “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for his official acts during his tenure. However, two courts have rejected this argument, stating that Trump is now a private citizen and should be held accountable for his actions.

The outcome of this case could determine whether Trump faces a federal trial this year, with a ruling expected before July. Legal analysts believe it is unlikely that the Supreme Court will endorse Trump’s sweeping assertion of immunity, given the conservative majority and three Trump appointees on the bench.

A majority of Americans view the federal indictment of Trump related to his efforts to overturn the election as very serious, according to a recent poll. While Trump’s legal team argues that impeachment is the only check on a president’s conduct allowed by the Constitution, Smith maintains that former presidents have never been immune from prosecution.

The Supreme Court’s decision in this case is eagerly awaited and could have far-reaching implications for the future of presidential accountability and the rule of law in the United States.