What does Trump’s Supreme Court immunity decision mean?
Al Jazeera
Dissenting Justice Sotomayor warns of ‘nightmare’ scenarios after Trump ruling that grants presidential, presumptive immunity.
On Monday, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled that Donald Trump is immune from prosecution for acts he committed within his constitutional powers as president.
The ruling applies to anyone who holds the position of US president. However, a president can be prosecuted for acts committed in a personal capacity.
While questions of presidential immunity have arisen before, such as during Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal and Bill Clinton’s sexual assault lawsuit, this is the first time a former US president has been indicted on criminal charges.
The latest ruling further delays the Washington criminal case against Trump on charges that he was involved in attempting to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss and inciting the US Capitol riots on January 6, 2021. The case had been referred to the Supreme Court to determine the issue of immunity. It will now return to the lower court.
This is the first time the SCOTUS has formally ruled that former presidents may be protected from criminal charges.
