The high court agreed it would review whether Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has immunity from prosecution. Arguments at the Supreme Court are expected to begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, but the former president will not be present for the proceedings.
Instead, Trump will be in New York City for the seventh day of his criminal trial stemming from charges out of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree.
Trump, a criminal defendant, is required to be present for each day of his trial. He requested, though, to attend Supreme Court arguments on presidential immunity, but Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over the trial, rejected that request. Requiring the former president to be in his Manhattan courtroom, Merchan said last week:
"Arguing before the Supreme Court is a big deal, and I can certainly appreciate why your client would want to be there, but a trial in New York Supreme Court... is also a big deal."A ruling from the Supreme Court on the issue of presidential immunity is expected by late June.
Comment: In the national crosshairs: More than 'Trump' is at stake.