The US Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on Monday on Colorado’s bid to ban Donald Trump from running for president.
It comes after the Colorado Supreme Court said in December that the Republican could not stand for election in the state because he had “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” – as is forbidden under the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment.
The judges ruled Trump was disqualified from the presidency because he had incited 2021’s January 6 riot at the Capitol building in Washington DC in an attempt to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election.
The former president strongly denies the claims and his lawyers argue the riot did not amount to an insurrection.
Following the Colorado ruling, the case was taken to the US Supreme Court, the highest court in America, for a final decision.
In an unusual move, officials issued an update on Sunday to reveal that an unspecified Supreme Court ruling would be published on Monday – even though judges are not scheduled to sit that day.
However, it is widely expected that the announcement will be about the Colorado case because so-called “Super Tuesday” will be held this week.
On that day a total of 15 states – including Colorado – will host primary elections for voters to pick their party candidates for November’s presidential election.
Most commentators believe that the Supreme Court, which has a six to three conservative majority, will reject Colorado’s ruling and allow Trump to stand in the state.
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Trump tells Biden ‘You’re fired!’
During a hearing last month, Supreme Court justices expressed scepticism about the attempt to ban Trump from November’s poll.
Chief justice John Roberts said there would be “daunting consequences” if the Colorado decision was upheld and other states also barred Trump from office – as it could “decide the presidential election”.
His colleague, justice Elena Kagan, appeared to agree, telling the court: “I think that the question that you have to confront is why a single state should decide who gets to be president of the United States.
“It seems quite extraordinary, doesn’t it?”
Other states, including Maine and Illinois, have also sought to ban Trump from running, but the cases are on hold pending the outcome of the Colorado case.
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Last week former president Trump continued his seemingly unstoppable march to the Republican nomination with victories in the Michigan, Missouri and Idaho caucuses.
His main and last major rival, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, is yet to achieve a single win in the race.
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From February: Supreme Court considers Trump election ban
Last week the US Supreme Court announced it would also rule on whether Trump can be prosecuted for alleged interference with the 2020 election.
However, the justices will not hear the case until late April, with a decision likely no later than the end of June.
Three of the judges on the court – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett – were appointed by Trump during his presidency.