Former President Donald Trump’s claim of immunity from prosecution for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss will be decided by the Supreme Court on Monday. Chief Justice John Roberts announced that the court’s current term, which began in October, will end on July 1.
The justices have yet to issue rulings in four cases argued during the term, including Trump’s appeal. This appeal followed lower courts rejecting his request to be shielded from four election-related criminal charges, arguing that he was acting as president when he took the actions leading to the indictment obtained by Special Counsel Jack Smith.
The cases still awaiting rulings include challenges to Republican-backed laws in Florida and Texas aimed at limiting the power of social media companies to moderate content, as well as a North Dakota convenience store’s challenge to government regulation on debit card “swipe fees.”
The outcome of the latter case could potentially make it easier for businesses to contest longstanding federal regulations.
In April, the Supreme Court’s conservative justices showed some support for shielding former presidents from certain criminal charges but were unlikely to accept Trump’s broad claim for “absolute immunity.” Their ruling may narrow the allegations against Trump but is expected to leave parts of the indictment intact, potentially delaying his trial previously set for March.
