The Supreme Court appears to be moving swiftly to address Donald Trump’s assertion of presidential immunity in his trial related to the events of January 6. Special counsel Jack Smith has been given until the following week to respond to Trump’s effort to halt a lower court’s ruling that rejected the immunity argument outright.
This announcement came on Tuesday, just a day after Trump appealed to the Supreme Court. Legal analysts interpreted this rapid response as a positive sign regarding the court’s handling of the matter.
Former Manhattan District Attorney Catherine Christian, speaking on MSNBC, noted the significance of the quick turnaround, suggesting that it indicated the Supreme Court’s intention to expedite its decision-making process. Christian also hinted that the special counsel likely already had a prepared response.
Donald Trump (Credits: NBC News)
With Monday being Presidents Day, Trump’s team met their deadline the day before, and the subsequent request from the Supreme Court to respond by the following Tuesday hinted at a prompt resolution.
While Trump’s appeal to the Supreme Court is widely seen as a stalling tactic, it appears that the court is not fully indulging in this strategy.
Former federal prosecutor Temidayo Aganga-Williams described Trump’s move as a transparent attempt to delay proceedings. Aganga-Williams expressed optimism about the Supreme Court’s apparent swift action, hoping that it would resist Trump’s efforts to further delay the process.
Should the court reject Trump’s request, the case will revert to Judge Tanya Chutkan, who would then schedule a new trial date.
Smith has long been pushing for an expedited process, even petitioning the Supreme Court to bypass the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in considering the immunity claim, although this request was denied. In a December filing, Smith emphasized the importance of prompt resolution, citing the nation’s keen interest in a definitive decision on Trump’s immunity claim and, if necessary, a timely trial outcome.
