The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 Thursday that former President Donald Trump is immune from federal prosecution for some official acts he took while in office, but the justice made clear that there is no immunity for unofficial acts.
"Under our constitutional structure of separated powers, the nature of Presidential power entitles a former President to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority. And he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the opinion.
This ruling may undermine Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecution against Trump, in Washington, D.C., for his actions related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and will likely cause further delays as the lower court will now have to determine which acts alleged in his indictment constitute official or private acts before the case can move forward.