Supreme Court divided on whether Trump has immunity

Key Facts

The case, heard in a special session one day after the court's last scheduled argument of this term, hinges on Mr Trump's claim that he is entitled to absolute immunity from criminal charges for actions committed while in office.
According to Mr Trump, this immunity shields him from criminal charges brought by US Special Counsel Jack Smith that he allegedly attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
That division could also lead to a more complicated decision that would significantly delay any restart of the trial.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The justices will now weigh whether Mr Trump is entitled to protection from criminal prosecution While the conservative side seemed open to the idea that all former US presidents should have some degree of immunity, all the justices sounded sceptical of arguments made by Mr Trump's lawyer, Dean John Sauer, that a former president has near-total protection from prosecution.