Despite great ‘national interest’: Supreme Court does not want to do business with Trump Despite great ‘national interest’: Supreme Court does not want to do business with Trump

The US Supreme Court will not hear the issue of former President Donald Trump’s immunity for the time being. A corresponding request from Special Prosecutor Jack Smith was denied without explanation on Friday. This means that the planned date in early March for the trial against Trump for attempted election fraud is no longer possible.

Smith had asked the Supreme Court to quickly clarify whether Trump can be prosecuted at the federal level for his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election — or whether he is protected by his immunity as president.

Trump is being charged in the US capital Washington in connection with attempted election fraud. Trump supporters stormed the Houses of Parliament in Washington on January 6, 2021. Congress met there to formally confirm Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential election. Trump had previously incited his supporters during a speech. Five people were killed as a result of the riots.

The 77-year-old is playing for time in the legal proceedings. Trump’s lawyers argued that the Republican could not be legally prosecuted for actions that were part of his duties as president. However, the responsible judge had rejected a corresponding request. Trump had appealed this decision – meaning it is now up to an appeals court.

But Special Prosecutor Smith took an unusual path: he wanted to bypass the appeals court and went straight to the Supreme Court, asking for a quick resolution of the matter. “This case concerns issues of exceptional national importance.”

The country’s highest court did not follow this request. This means that the appeal must go through the courts, which can take a long time. However, the current rejection by the Supreme Court does not mean that the case will not ultimately end up before the nine judges again.

(hah/sda/dpa)