The Daily Fuckup

Donald Trump picked up a procedural win on Feb. 28, 2024, when the Supreme Court agreed to hear his claim that he has immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct tied to his time in office. In the same order, the Court said the case would be set for oral argument during the week of April 22. It later fixed argument for Thursday, April 25. The bottom line was not a ruling on the merits. It was a fast-moving schedule for a closely watched fight over whether a former president can be prosecuted for alleged official acts. ([supremecourt.gov](https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/23-939.html))

The Court’s order was limited to one question: whether, and how far, a former president enjoys presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts while in office. The justices also said they were not expressing a view on the merits and directed the D.C. Circuit to hold the mandate while the Supreme Court took the case. That kept the dispute alive and put the immunity issue on an expedited path through the spring. ([supremecourt.gov](https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/23-939.html))

For Trump, the immediate effect was delay. The timeline for a trial in the federal election-interference case moved later as the justices added briefing and argument to the calendar. For prosecutors, that meant waiting longer for a ruling on a threshold defense that could shape the rest of the case. For Trump, it also meant the same legal fight would stay attached to his campaign for weeks longer, with the question of presidential immunity hanging over every new filing and hearing. That is a benefit in court and a burden in politics. ([supremecourt.gov](https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/23-939.html))

The case did not end on Feb. 28, and it did not turn on guilt or innocence. It turned on a narrower legal question about the reach of presidential immunity. That distinction matters. The Court was not deciding the underlying election allegations at that stage. It was deciding whether the prosecution could go forward without first resolving Trump’s immunity claim. By taking the case and moving quickly, the Court gave Trump more time, while also ensuring the issue would remain in the spotlight well into the spring. ([supremecourt.gov](https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/23-939.html))