The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Thursday regarding whether former President Donald Trump can face criminal prosecution for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. The justices grappled with the significant question of whether former presidents have immunity for alleged official acts during their time in office. While Trump claims "absolute" protection for his actions, the court divided over this issue.

Most of the conservative-leaning justices in the majority seemed open to a version of immunity that excludes a president's "private" conduct, while still allowing prosecution for alleged official acts. This landmark ruling will determine if Trump will stand trial before the November election on four charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith, including conspiracy to defraud the United States. The decision is expected to be reached by June.

The potential implications of this case were acknowledged by the justices themselves, as their ruling could reshape the boundaries of presidential power. The oral arguments, which lasted nearly three hours, included several important exchanges, touching upon topics such as self-pardons and the role of former President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Demonstrators gathered outside the court during these proceedings.

The speed with which the justices reach a decision will impact whether Trump faces trial before the November election. Experts cite the example of Bush v. Gore in the 2000 election, where the court's intervention determined the outcome. In United States v. Nixon, the court rejected executive privilege claims in the Watergate scandal tapes case just 16 days after hearing arguments on July 8, 1974. However, it remains unclear if the Supreme Court will move with similar speed in this case. The opinions are expected to be released before the end of the court's term in June.

The justices have a range of options before them. They could uphold the lower court's decision, which rejected immunity entirely, thereby allowing for a trial as early as this summer. Alternatively, they may send the case back to lower courts for further proceedings, a possibility mentioned by some conservative justices during arguments. Such a decision could delay a trial until after the end of the year.

After an extensive discussion lasting two hours and 40 minutes, the oral arguments came to a close. The Supreme Court now holds the responsibility of determining if Trump will face trial over his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.