How Supreme Court’s immunity ruling ‘transforms’ US presidency
Al Jazeera
Experts say shielding official presidential action from prosecution undermines rule of law and enables abuse of power.
Washington, DC – The Supreme Court’s ruling on the scope of presidential immunity will “transform” the United States government, experts say, warning that the decision may undermine the rule of law in the country.
On Monday, the US top court weighed the broad claims former President Donald Trump made that his actions, while in office, were immune from prosecution. He currently faces criminal charges over his conduct during the final days of his presidency, when he was accused of attempting to overturn the 2020 elections.
The court gave Trump a partial victory, ruling that former US presidents cannot be prosecuted for official actions taken while in office. “He is entitled to at least presumptive immunity,” the court majority wrote.
Monday’s ruling will likely delay two of Trump’s criminal cases beyond the presidential elections in November, as a lower court will first need to hear arguments over what constitutes an official action.
But beyond its immediate effect, the decision will have a “remarkable” impact on presidential powers, said David Super, a law professor at Georgetown University.
