The Supreme Court is preparing to issue its long-anticipated ruling Monday on whether a president has sweeping immunity for actions in office.
The high court's ruling on the nine justices' final day will immediately impact the case against former President Donald Trump. He is charged with election interference and obstruction of justice by special counsel Jack Smith for his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election that were linked to the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
Trump has argued that a president must have the freedom to do his job in the White House without the threat of prosecution from a hostile future administration. Prosecutors have argued that an absolute immunity could result in extreme criminal acts by a president, who could opt to stay in the White House for life and assassainate rivals.
Lower courts found he cannot claim immunity for actions illegally sought to interfere with the election results.
The Supreme Court heard more than two hours of oral arguments in April in the case. Questions from the bench largely focused on what could be official acts in the White House, as opposed to actions taken for personal interest.
Trump last month was convicted in New York of 34 felonies in a criminal hush-money case involving payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels to keep his relationship with her hidden from voters ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
