The Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald Trump can be tried for any efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss that were not taken in his official capacity. The decision, which came too late for a trial to be completed before the election, establishes that presidents are not immune from criminal prosecution for unofficial acts. This landmark ruling divided the court along ideological lines, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing for a 6-3 majority. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in a dissent with Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, criticized the majority for giving Trump excessive immunity. The trial, scheduled for March, may face a tight timeline depending on the election results. Trump faces federal charges related to election interference and falsifying records to conceal hush money payments. The case was a crucial test for the conservative majority on the court, including justices appointed by Trump. This decision represents the first ruling on criminal immunity for a former U.S. president and has significant implications for future presidents’ accountability. The court’s deliberation took longer than expected, despite the urgency of the case, but ultimately resulted in rejecting Trump’s immunity claims. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, who have ties to Trump and his supporters, did not recuse themselves from the case.
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