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Supreme Court live updates: Biden says SCOTUS decision sets 'dangerous precedent'

Trump called the ruling a "big win for our constitution and democracy."

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected Donald Trump's sweeping claim of "absolute" immunity from criminal prosecution in his federal election subversion case, but said former presidents are entitled to some protections for "official" acts taken while in the White House.

The ruling will affect whether Trump faces a federal trial this year on four felony counts brought by special counsel Jack Smith, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and obstruction of an official proceeding, for his attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden. Trump pleaded not guilty and has denied any wrongdoing.

The justices are sending the case back to the trial court to determine what acts alleged in Smith's indictment constitute official duties that could be protected from liability and which are not.


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Special counsel Jack Smith declines to comment

Special counsel Jack Smith's office declined to comment on the Supreme Court ruling, a spokesperson told ABC News.

The court's ruling will affect whether former President Donald Trump faces a federal trial this year on four felony counts brought by Smith, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and obstruction of an official proceeding, for his attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden.

-ABC News' Alexander Mallin


Trump reacts to SCOTUS ruling

Former President Donald Trump released a statement about the Supreme Court's presidential immunity decision in a post on his social media platform.

"BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY. PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!" Trump wrote on Monday morning.


Biden campaign reacts to SCOTUS ruling

A senior Biden campaign advisor released a statement about the court's ruling on immunity, stating "Today’s ruling doesn’t change the facts, so let’s be very clear about what happened on January 6: Donald Trump snapped after he lost the 2020 election and encouraged a mob to overthrow the results of a free and fair election."

The campaign argued that Trump "thinks he’s above the law and is willing to do anything to gain and hold onto power for himself."

-ABC News' Selina Wang


Supreme Court rules president has no immunity for unofficial acts

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 on the immunity case against former President Donald Trump stating, "The President enjoys no immunity for his unofficial acts, and not everything the President does is official.

The ruling, in which all of the liberal justices dissented, added, "The President is not above the law. But under our system of separated powers, the President may not be prosecuted for exercising his core constitutional powers, and he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for his official acts."


'Disturbing': What legal experts had to say about immunity arguments

When the justices appeared open to the idea of some level of immunity for former presidents, it was a shock for many veteran court observers.

"It was surprising to hear, at least from some of the justices, the possibility that a president could somehow commit criminal misconduct for which they could never be held liable in court," said constitutional law expert Michael Gerhardt. "I think that has struck many people as just, up until now, inconceivable."

One point that stood out to Gerhardt was when Justice Elena Kagan pressed Trump attorney John Sauer if a president could order the military to stage a coup and be immune. Sauer said, in their view, a president could.

"The answer that she got was one of the most disturbing I've ever heard at the Supreme Court," he said.

Read more about reaction to the April arguments here.