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The Supreme Court has called on Special Counsel Jack Smith to respond by February 20 to former President Donald Trump’s bid to halt his federal January 6 trial. Trump’s appeal centers on his claims of presidential immunity, which he argues should exempt him from indictment, thus affecting the trial’s scheduling ahead of this year’s elections.

The trial, initially set for March 4, faces postponement as Trump navigates the appeals process. Trump’s motion to the Supreme Court seeks to “block a lower ruling that he doesn’t have presidential immunity from the indictment,” a strategic effort to delay his trial. This legal maneuver is pivotal, as it could determine whether the trial will proceed before the upcoming elections. Trump’s legal team has been pushing for the trial to remain on hold while they request a comprehensive review of his immunity claims by the full DC Circuit Court of Appeals and, if necessary, by the Supreme Court.

According to the Supreme Court’s directive, the timing of Smith’s required response does not indicate an expedited process typically seen in other emergency applications.

This comes as Trump faces four federal felonies accusing him of conspiring to subvert the 2020 election results. This case is one of four criminal cases against him, to which he has pleaded not guilty.