WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to decide whether former President Donald Trump can claim presidential immunity over criminal election interference charges, adding a new hurdle to a trial taking place.
The court said in a brief order it would hear arguments and issue a ruling on the immunity claim.
The order said the court would hear the case, which could take months to resolve, the week of April 22.
That court did not directly decide whether Trump was engaged in official acts when he was contesting the election results.
Trump opted against appealing that case to the Supreme Court.
If Trump wins the election, he would be in a position to order that the charges in the Washington case be dismissed.
Trump’s immunity claim was prompted by a four-count indictment in Washington, including charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. »