Supreme Court correspondent Adam Liptak discusses the recent ruling granting Trump broad immunity, weakening federal cases and expanding presidential power. The decision raises questions about accountability, presidential conduct, and implications for future prosecutions.
The Supreme Court ruled that former President Trump is entitled to broad immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office, weakening the federal case against him for trying to overturn the last U.S. presidential election.
The ruling on presidential immunity outlines that official presidential conduct is broadly immune from prosecution, with a distinction between core activities like commander in chief duties and other official conduct subject to a high standard of prosecution.
Deep dives
Trump's Broad Immunity From Prosecution
The Supreme Court ruled that former President Trump is entitled to broad immunity from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office. This ruling weakens the federal case against Trump for attempting to overturn the last election and expands the power of the presidency itself.
Presidential Power and Immunity
The Supreme Court's ruling on presidential immunity outlines that official presidential conduct is broadly immune from prosecution. The court differentiates between core presidential activities, like commander in chief duties, which are deemed absolute, and other official conduct, which is presumptively immune but with a high standard for prosecution.
Implications of the Ruling
The ruling confers a significant level of immunity on the day-to-day official actions of a president, even potentially including extreme scenarios like ordering an assassination. It emphasizes that courts cannot inquire into a president's motives for official acts and aims to insulate presidents from judicial scrutiny in official conduct.
On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald J. Trump is entitled to broad immunity from criminal prosecution for actions that he took while in office.
Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The New York Times, explains how that ruling will weaken the federal case against Mr. Trump for trying to overturn the last U.S. presidential election, and will drastically expand the power of the presidency itself.
Guest: Adam Liptak, a Supreme Court correspondent for The New York Times.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
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