US media: Supreme Court decision on Trump immunity ‘historic’ | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

US media outlets have described as “historic” a Supreme Court decision that former President Donald Trump has immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts in office.

Trump is facing criminal charges over his alleged attempts to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss, including the riot at the Capital.

On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution for official acts that occurred while they were in office.

The court said Trump’s case will be sent back to the lower courts for them to decide which charges will be affected by this decision.

Of the nine Supreme Court justices, six who are considered conservatives supported the view.

Three justices considered in the liberal camp opposed it. Of those, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that under the court’s majority’s reasoning, “In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law.”

ABC News said the decision makes “clear for the first time that former presidents have absolute immunity for core official acts but no immunity for unofficial ones.”

In a remark made on Monday from the White House, President Joe Biden warned that the court decision means that there are now virtually no limits on what a president can do.

He said, “it’s a dangerous precedent, because the power of the office will no longer be constrained by the law.”

Meanwhile, Trump took to social media to describe the decision as a big win for the constitution and for democracy.