the Supreme Court agrees to take up the question of Donald Trump’s criminal immunity

The highest court in the United States will examine this question starting at the end of April.

The Supreme Court of the United States agreed, Wednesday February 28, to take up the question of criminal immunity invoked by Donald Trump, and to examine it from “the week of April 22”a few months before the American presidential election.

At the beginning of the month, uThe American federal appeals court had rejected the criminal immunity invoked by the big favorite in the Republican primaries for the presidential election. This decision had reopened the way for his trial for attempts to illegally overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. All procedural actions in this case had been suspended due to the appeal, leading Judge Tanya Chutkan, who will preside over the proceedings, to announce the postponement of the trial, initially scheduled for March 4.

A few days later, the former president, indicted four times, asked the Supreme Court to suspend this appeal decision. Special prosecutor Jack Smith, who is investigating the case, had on the contrary urged the Supreme Court to reject this request for suspension. He also recommended that she not take up the issue. Otherwise, Jack Smith called on the court to set an accelerated timetable, so that “the trial can be held with a reduced additional period” in the event of confirmed rejection of criminal immunity.

The Trump camp claims “absolute immunity”

In his written arguments, Jack Smith emphasized the“unique national importance of this criminal case”in which a former president is “criminally prosecuted for attempting to maintain power by preventing the legitimate winner of the election from taking office”.

In its decision on Wednesday, the Supreme Court partly satisfied Donald Trump. In fact, it does not allow not allow the appeal decision to come into force until it has itself pronounced. Donald Trump’s defense claims “absolute immunity” for his actions committed during his mandate. If he were elected again, Donald Trump could, once inaugurated in January 2025, order an end to federal proceedings against him.