Trump is indicted in the US capital, Washington, for attempted electoral fraud. There is a hearing on his appeal on April 22. Meanwhile, Trump's 81-year-old rival, US President Joe Biden, was declared “fit for duty” after his annual health check.
The US Supreme Court accepted Donald Trump's appeal on the issue of the former president's immunity from lawsuits. The Supreme Court has announced that there will now be a hearing on the matter from April 22. This measure does not make it clear if and when the trial against the former president for attempted electoral fraud could begin in Washington. The decision is a victory for Trump, who is trying to delay the possible start of the trial.
Trump is indicted in the US capital, Washington, for attempted electoral fraud. Trump supporters stormed the parliament building in Washington on January 6, 2021. Congress met there to formally confirm Democrat Joe Biden's victory in the presidential election. Trump had already incited her during a speech. As a result of the riots, five people died. Before the storming of the Capitol, Trump had already tried, at various levels, to overturn the election results. He still does not recognize his defeat against Biden and wants to return to the White House after the presidential elections in November.
Trump and his lawyers want the charges dropped. They are citing Trump's immunity from his role as president at the time. He could not be legally prosecuted for actions that were part of his duties as president. More recently, they failed this argument before an appeals court in the US capital in early February. This ruled that the 77-year-old Republican could be criminally prosecuted for his actions in office. Trump took legal action against this decision in the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has now announced that it will consider “whether and, if so, to what extent, a former president enjoys immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct allegedly related to official acts during his term in office”.
Trump threatens to exclude primary elections in Illinois
The Supreme Court is currently handling another Trump case. The question is whether the Republican will be able to continue participating in the primaries or even be excluded from the position of president. The judges were quite skeptical – a decision in favor of Trump was indicated at the hearing. It is unclear when the verdict will come. Trump had previously appealed to the court to overturn a Colorado state ruling that disqualified him from running in the 2021 primary due to his role in the 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
This case becomes current thanks to a decision made by an Illinois judge on Wednesday. For the same reason, Trump excluded this US state from the March 19 primaries and the November 5 elections. However, taking into account an expected appeal from Trump, the decision was temporarily suspended – his campaign team has already announced legal solutions.
There was bad news for Trump from New York: at his fraud trial, a judge rejected his request to suspend the required security deposit of a cool $454 million during the appeal period. Instead, Trump's lawyers suggested a figure of $100 million. However, Singh was granted suspension of parts of the sentence that prohibit him from certain commercial activities in the US state of New York.
Biden “still fit for duty”
The opposite side remains in force. US President Joe Biden's doctor declared him “fit for duty” after his annual health check. “The president is doing well and no new problems were found during this year's physical examination,” his doctor, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, said Wednesday after being examined at a military hospital in suburban Maryland. “He remains fit for duty and is performing all of his duties to the fullest extent without exceptions or relief.”
The 81-year-old had a root canal last year and is being treated for sleep apnea but is in good health. Biden trains five days a week. The president still has a stiff gait, but it has not worsened since last year, and suffers from “peripheral neuropathy” in both feet, gastroesophageal reflux, allergies and spinal arthritis, which are treated with medication.
The president's health is under special scrutiny this year as he becomes the oldest president in U.S. history to run for re-election. Biden and former Republican President Donald Trump, 77, have accused each other of mental decline ahead of the likely runoff elections on November 5. Trump's last rival for the Republican nomination, Nikki Haley, 52, said both men were too old for the White House and should undergo cognitive testing. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said the president had not taken any cognitive tests and did not need any.
(APA/dpa/Portal/AFP)