Updated after the hearing's conclusion. Amid the often-confusing barrage of developments in the four criminal cases of Donald Trump, Tuesday offered a pivotal one. A federal appeals court heard arguments on a fundamental Trump defense claim—that he's immune from prosecution, reports the Wall Street Journal. (The hearing is part of the federal election interference case brought against Trump by special counsel Jack Smith.) Should the three-member court side in Trump's favor, the case could "unravel," writes David Leonhardt at the New York Times. However, all three judges sounded skeptical about the immunity defense, notes Politico. It's not clear when their decision will be released, but they have pledged to move quickly.
- 'Critical day': Even if Trump loses, he will almost certainly go to the Supreme Court. It's part of a strategy to delay any resolution until after the 2024 election, because he could try to quash the pair of federal cases against him should he win re-election. Smith hopes to start the trial March 4, though that seems unlikely given the legal wrangling over the immunity issue. All in all, "today is a critical day for determining how Trump's trials are likely to play out this year," the Times' Alan Feuer tells Leonhardt.