as two upcoming court decisions could# shape his campaign and his businesses.

In Washington, the former president's# federal trial for election interference## has been delayed while an appeals court rules# on Donald Trump's argument that he's i from prosecution.

And a verdict in the New# York civil fraud trial has been pushed back.

Our William Brangham has been following the# latest developments, and he joins us now.

William, it's always good to see you.

So we have been wait Trump's claim of immunity.# What's the latest with that?

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: That's right.

case is completely frozen waiting# for this immunity ruling.

And the## D.C.

Circuit Court of Appeals initially set# this on an expedited path, fast he fast briefs, and so everyone thought a# ruling would happen quickly, but it hasn't.

It's been four weeks now and near radio silence.# And it's all the more striking because, hearing that they held, the three judges on this# panel, two appointed by Biden, one by Bush Sr.,## seemed very skeptical of Trump's immunity# argument, which, if you remember, the president## and his legal team, the former president,# argued that because these alleged election## crimes occurred while he was president, he should# be immune from prosecution from them completely.

And this led one of the judges, Florence Pan,## to sort of stretch this hypothetical to# so if the former president had ordered SEAL# Team Six to execute a political rival and## Congress didn't impeach Trump for that, he# would be immune from prosecution, she asked?

And Trump's lawyers eventually admitted,## yes, that is what we mean.

So, a great# deal of skepticism towards GEOFF BENNETT: So, if Donald Trump# loses this case, the immunity claim,## what does that mean for the# overall federal January 6 case?

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Well, he# most likely would appeal to## the appeals court to have the entire# he ar it.

He could also appeal to the# Supreme Court to listen to this case.

If either of those courts took that up,# that would further delay the January 6 case,## to the point where we could be in a position# where this case doesn't start until summer,## fall, and then you have the# former president campaigning## for president when he's required to be# in court on this major federal case.

I mean, it's a very, very complicated situation.

A## lot of pressure would be brought on Judge# Tanya Chutkan, who's to postpone or to push it off.

She so# far has shown no interest in doing that.

But the flip side of that is that many# people argue that it is simply unacceptable## for voters to go into a presidential# election not knowing the innocence## or the guilt of Donald Trump as to whether# he tried to subvert the previous election.

GEOFF BENNETT: And then add to all of that,## William, the New York ci WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Last week, we were supposed to# have heard from Judge Arthur Engoron about th case.

He then said at the end of the week that he# needs a little bit more time to make his ruling.

This case, as we have reported in the past,# is about what penalty Donald Trump and his## associates should be getting for this# decade-long fraud that they committed,## that the judge has ruled that they did# commit.

And so this is a penalty phase.## The attorney general in New York wants hundreds# of millions of dollars from former p and his business associates and wants# him banned from doing work in New York.

That ruling is coming any day now, but,## again, could be a major, major# GE OFF BENNETT: William Brangham# tracking it all for us.

William, thanks so much.

WILLIAM BRANGHAM: