Toobin: SCOTUS ruling is a ‘gift to Trump’ regardless of outcome

Legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin said the Supreme Court’s decision to weigh former President Trump’s claims of presidential immunity was “a gift” to him, regardless of the outcome.

“SCOTUS ruling is a gift to Trump, even if the Justices ultimately rule against him on immunity. A decision in late June makes a DC trial on 1/6 issues nearly impossible. 3/25 NYC trial in the Stormy case will be the only Trump criminal trial before Election Day,” Toobin wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

The Supreme Court announced Wednesday it would be taking up the case on whether Trump can be criminally prosecuted for his efforts to overturn his 2020 reelection loss. The order will keep trial proceedings in special counsel Jack Smith’s federal election interference case against Trump on hold for now.

The order scheduled oral arguments for the case to start during the week of April 22.

Trump had previously urged the Supreme Court to delay the federal election subversion criminal trial as he appealed a ruling that he does not have immunity from the charges. Smith had then asked the Supreme Court to reject Trump’s request to delay the trial over his appeal.

Trump and his legal team have argued that the former president should have presidential immunity from four federal felony charges he faces in Smith’s election interference case. The former president expressed satisfaction about the Supreme Court’s decision to take on the case in a series of social media posts Wednesday.

The order also comes as the Supreme Court reviews a Colorado ruling that booted Trump from the state’s ballot under the 14th Amendment’s insurrection ban. Toobin weighed in on the 14th Amendment challenge earlier this month, saying on “CNN This Morning” that the oral arguments suggested the Supreme Court will side with Trump on the case.

“I don’t usually like to predict the outcome of Supreme Court cases based on oral argument,” Toobin said. “I’m gonna make an exception and say this was a slam dunk victory in the offing for the Trump campaign,” he said.

Trump is also facing a slew of other legal challenges. Trump’s trial in the state hush money case in New York is scheduled to begin March 25.