The Supreme Court is currently deliberating on the legality of former President Trump's post-election actions. The high court holds the authority to make an independent judgment on this matter, regardless of how other federal courts have ruled.
If the justices determine that Trump's efforts to overturn the election results fall within the scope of official presidential duties, they will be contradicting the opinions of numerous lower court judges, appointed by both Democratic and Republican presidents, who have deemed his actions as improper.
The crux of the issue lies in whether Trump's alleged attempts to subvert the election process are shielded by the protections afforded to the presidency. The case under consideration will determine the fate of a federal criminal case initiated by special counsel Jack Smith against Trump for his alleged involvement in election manipulation during the 2020 election.
Central to the debate is the question of whether Trump's actions, such as pressuring state officials to overturn election results, urging his vice president to disrupt the certification of electoral votes, and manipulating presidential electors, were within the boundaries of his presidential responsibilities.
Courts in Washington, DC, Georgia, and California have examined the legal implications of Trump's actions in various contexts. These include investigations into the events leading up to and during the Capitol attack on January 6, 2021, as well as civil litigation related to the same events involving Trump and his associates.
