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A three-judge panel with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously rejected former President Donald Trump's claim that he has immunity from prosecution. The ruling was limited to the federal election interference case he is facing.
Trump is currently facing four charges related to his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. He argued that he should be granted presidential immunity because his actions were about protecting the integrity of the election.
"For the purpose of this criminal case, former President Trump has become citizen Trump, with all of the defenses of any other criminal defendant. But any executive immunity that may have protected him while he served as President no longer protects him against this prosecution," the judges wrote.
"We reject all three potential bases for immunity both as a categorical defense to federal criminal prosecutions of former Presidents and as applied to this case in particular," they explained.
Trump's lawyers have the option to ask for a review by the full D.C. Circuit or appeal the decision directly to the Supreme Court.