The US Supreme Court ruled Monday that Donald Trump enjoys some immunity from prosecution as a former president, a decision set to delay his trial for conspiring to overturn the 2020 election.
The 6-3 ruling split along ideological lines comes four months before the presidential election in which Trump is the Republican candidate to take on Democrat Joe Biden. Justices who disagreed with the judgment issued stinging criticism and aired fears for the country’s democratic future, but Trump was quick to revel in what he called a “big win.”
Trump is charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States as well as obstruction of an official proceeding — when a violent mob of his supporters tried to prevent the January 6, 2021, joint session of Congress held to certify Biden’s victory.
The 78-year-old former president is also charged with conspiracy to deny Americans the right to vote and to have their votes counted.