Trump v. United States | |
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Argued April 25, 2024 Decided July 1, 2024 | |
Full case name | Donald J. Trump v. United States |
Docket no. | 23-939 |
Citations | 603 U.S. ___ (more) |
Argument | Oral argument |
Decision | Opinion |
Case history | |
Prior | United States v. Trump, No. 23-cr-257 (D.D.C., Dec. 1., 2023) (immunity memorandum opinion) United States v. Trump, No. 23-3190 (D.C. Cir., Dec. 8., 2023) (gag order) |
Questions presented | |
Whether and if so to what extent does a former President enjoy presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office. | |
Holding | |
Under our constitutional structure of separated powers, the nature of Presidential power entitles a former President to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority. And he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts. There is no immunity for unofficial acts. | |
Court membership | |
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Case opinions | |
Majority | Roberts, joined by Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh; Barrett (except Part III–C) |
Concurrence | Thomas |
Concurrence | Barrett (in part) |
Dissent | Sotomayor, joined by Kagan, Jackson |
Dissent | Jackson |
Laws applied | |
U.S. Const. art. II |
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Business and personal 45th President of the United States Tenure Impeachments Prosecutions Interactions involving Russia ![]() |
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Trump v. United States, 603 U.S. ___, is a landmark decision[1][2] of the Supreme Court of the United States in which the Court determined that presidential immunity from criminal prosecution presumptively extends to all of a president's "official acts" – with absolute immunity for official acts within an exclusive presidential authority that Congress cannot regulate[1][2] such as the pardon, command of the military, execution of laws, or control of the executive branch. The case extends from an ongoing federal trial to determine whether Donald Trump, president at the time, and others engaged in election interference during the 2020 election, including events during the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. It is the first time a case concerning criminal prosecution for alleged official acts of a president was brought before the Supreme Court.[3]
On July 1, 2024, the Court ruled in a 6–3 decision, along ideological lines, that Trump had absolute immunity for acts he committed as president within his core constitutional purview, at least presumptive immunity for official acts within the outer perimeter of his official responsibility, and no immunity for unofficial acts.[3][4][5] The decision also provides the same immunity to all presidents, including incumbent President Joe Biden.[6] It declined to rule on the scope of immunity for some of Trump's acts alleged in his indictment, instead vacating the appellate decision and remanding the case to the district court for further proceedings.
In a landmark ruling with potentially major impact on the 2024 presidential campaign, a U.S. Supreme Court majority ruled that presidents — including former President Donald Trump — have immunity from prosecution when carrying out "official acts."
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