Former President Donald Trump is asserting a unique theory of immunity from criminal charges, drawing on a 1982 Supreme Court decision that granted former presidents immunity from civil litigation related to their actions while in office. The case in question, Nixon v. Fitzgerald, centered around A. Ernest Fitzgerald, a former Air Force employee who sued President Nixon for damages after being fired for providing damaging testimony to Congress.
In a close 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that former presidents are shielded from civil lawsuits due to the 'singular importance of the president's duties' and the potential risks to government functioning posed by private litigation. The court extended this immunity to the 'outer perimeter' of a president's authority, providing broad protection.
