US Supreme Court justices in Trump case lean toward some level of immunity

People march as they protest against former U.S. President Donald Trump during his hush money trial, near the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, U.S., April 25, 2024. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Supreme Court's conservative justices signaled support on Thursday for U.S. presidents having some level of protection from criminal charges for certain acts taken in office as it tackled Donald Trump's claim of immunity from prosecution for trying to undo his 2020 election loss.

During about 2-1/2 hours of arguments in the case, most of the justices seemed unlikely to embrace Trump's most far-reaching argument that presidents have "absolute immunity" for official acts - an assertion that appeared to wilt under hypothetical questions involving selling nuclear secrets, taking a bribe or ordering a coup or political assassination.