U.S. Supreme Court grants Trump official immunity, not for private acts

The U.S. Supreme Court found on Monday that Donald Trump cannot be prosecuted for any actions that were within his constitutional powers as president, but can for private acts, in a landmark ruling recognizing for the first time any form of presidential immunity from prosecution.

Reuters reports that The justices, in a 6-3 ruling written by Chief Justice John Roberts, threw out a lower court’s decision that had rejected Trump’s claim of immunity from federal criminal charges involving his efforts to undo his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. The six conservative justices were in the majority. Its three liberals dissented.

Meanwhile, Time Magazine reports that the landmark decision marks the first time the Supreme Court has weighed in on whether a president can be prosecuted for actions they took while in office. “The president enjoys no immunity for his unofficial acts, and not everything the President does is official,” the ruling continues. “The President is not above the law. But Congress may not criminalize the President’s conduct in carrying out the responsibilities of the Executive Branch under the Constitution.”

According to the New York Times, the ruling makes a distinction between official conduct of a president and the actions of a private citizen. A dissent from the liberal wing laments a vast expansion of presidential power.