The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Thursday morning as it considers whether Donald Trump should be allowed to remain on 2024 ballot papers.
Colorado and Maine have moved to have Mr Trump removed citing Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution, which argues that anyone found to have “engaged in insurrection” after swearing a loyalty oath should not be allowed to return to public office.
The highest court in the land, which has a conservative majority, will now rule if that applies to Mr Trump concerning the Capitol riot of 6 January 2021, when his supporters stormed Congress in an attempt to stop the formal certification of the 2020 election results, erroneously believing the vote had been “rigged” in Joe Biden’s favour, as the then-president claimed.
The justices appeared highly sceptical of the arguments put forward by Colorado.
Also on Thursday, Mr Trump is expected to win the Nevada Republican caucus, a formality in which principal rival Nikki Haley will not take part, which will hand him a further 26 delegates as he attempts to sew up his party’s nomination to challenge Mr Biden again in November.