A panel of judges expressed scepticism over former president Donald Trump's claims that he is immune from being prosecuted on charges that he plotted to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
The appeals court's decision could have profound implications for Mr Trump, whose criminal trial in March is on hold during the appeals process. Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against the right to vote.
D John Sauer, a lawyer for Mr Trump argued that a president must be impeached by the House of Representatives and convicted by the US Senate before they can be prosecuted. Mr Trump was impeached by the House twice, but never convicted.
"You're saying a president could sell pardons, could sell military secrets, could tell [Navy] SEAL Team Six to assassinate a political rival?" Judge Flornce Pan asked Mr Sauer.
In response, Mr Sauer said "yes" if the president was impeached and convicted by Congress.
Federal prosecutor James Pearce told the judges that granting Mr Trump immunity would enable future presidents to commit crimes.
"The president has a unique constitutional role, but he is not above the law," Mr Pearce said.
Mr Trump sat at the defence table during the proceedings, occasionally taking notes and speaking with his lawyers. It was his first court appearance in Washington since he was arraigned in August.
The criminal case is one of four that Mr Trump faces.
While also seeking to dismiss the 2020 election case in Washington altogether, Mr Trump's legal team is hoping that a prolonged appeals process could delay the start of the trial until potentially after the 2024 election.
“Of course I was entitled, as President of the United States and Commander in Chief, to Immunity,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social media platform on Monday.
In the same post, the former president reiterated his false voting fraud claims.
Meanwhile, special counsel Jack Smith is hoping to get the trial under way well before Election Day.
His legal team has argued that presidents do not possess absolute immunity, and that Mr Trump had acted well outside his presidential duties when pressuring former vice president Mike Pence to reject the 2020 electoral outcome.
Tuesday's courtroom appearance underscores the legal complexities that Mr Trump faces as he seeks a return to the White House.
The front-runner to win the Republican Party's nomination for president, he has been campaigning in Iowa ahead of the state's caucus on January 15.
There, Republican voters will have their first say on who they want as their party's candidate.
Latest polling shows Mr Trump holding a lead of more than 30 points against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, according to data compiled by FiveThirtyEight.
Mr Trump's election interference trial in Washington is scheduled for March 4.
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
World Sevens Series standing after Dubai
1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
9. France
10. Spain
11. Argentina
12. Canada
13. Wales
14. Uganda
15. United States
16. Russia
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE cricketers abroad
Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.
Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.
Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
