Friday Briefing: Will Trump be allowed to hold office again?

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February 9, 2024

By Amelia Nierenberg Writer, Briefings

Good morning. We’re covering the Supreme Court hearing on arguments that Donald Trump should be barred from holding office.

Plus, Australia weighs a “right to disconnect.”

The Supreme Court Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times

Will Trump be allowed to hold office again?

The Supreme Court justices seemed skeptical of arguments to kick Donald Trump off state ballots and disqualify him from holding office because of his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

The State Supreme Court in Colorado ruled in December that Trump’s conduct in trying to subvert the 2020 race made him ineligible to hold office. The court based its ruling on a constitutional provision that bars people who have sworn to support the Constitution and then engaged in insurrection.

But in Washington yesterday, Supreme Court justices across the ideological spectrum expressed skepticism about several aspects of the Colorado ruling. A majority of them indicated that individual states may not disqualify national candidates unless Congress first enacts legislation. The timing of the ruling is unclear, but the court has fast-tracked the case.

Historical context: Not since Bush v. Gore, the 2000 decision that handed the presidency to George Bush, has the court assumed such a direct role in the outcome of a presidential contest.

Posters for Nawaz Sharif and his political party hung in Lahore yesterday. Saiyna Bashir for The New York Times

A crackdown marred Pakistan’s election

As results began to trickle in yesterday, the party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif — the military’s preferred party — was expected to win. Few doubted that it would come out on top, a reflection of the generals’ ultimate hold on Pakistan’s troubled democracy.

But it did not look like it would be the easy victory that was widely predicted: Candidates allied with another former prime minister, Imran Khan, were neck and neck with Sharif’s party in many races in Punjab, the most populous province and the country’s political heartland.

Rights groups have condemned the election as neither free nor fair, and some Pakistanis have called it a “selection,” not an election. Yesterday, the government suspended mobile phone service, citing a tense security situation. Some analysts called it an effort to keep opposition voters from getting information or coordinating activities.

What’s next: It could take days for votes to be officially counted. No party is expected to win an outright majority, meaning that the one with the largest share of seats would form a coalition government.

A photograph of Gen. Valery Zaluzhny released by Ukrainian presidential press service last year.  Ukrainian Presidential Press Service, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Zelensky removed his top general

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said he had removed his top general in the most significant leadership shake-up since Russia invaded Ukraine almost two years ago.

Zelensky praised Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, the commander who has led the nation’s war effort for two years, but said that “urgent changes” were needed to ensure victory. It was unclear whether Zaluzhny, who is widely popular in Ukraine’s military and society, had resigned or been fired.

Context: The upheaval comes at a precarious moment for Ukraine. Russian attacks have intensified amid tensions between the government and military leadership, and critical U.S. aid still hangs in the balance.

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Wreckage from the deadly strike in Baghdad. Ahmed Saad/Reuters

Russia

Environment

The eruption cut off hot water to thousands of people. Iceland Civil Protection, via Reuters

Business and Tech

Culture

The statue shows how modern technology can help recreate the past. Andrew Medichini/Associated Press

This Weekend

A Morning Read

Bologna’s mayor said that Italian cities, built over centuries, weren’t suited for so many cars. Susan Wright for The New York Times

Bologna has become the first major Italian city to impose a speed limit of 30 kilometers per hour on most streets. The mayor argues that the measure, which mirrors similar policies in other European cities, will lead to a safer, healthier and more livable city.

But the policy has a lot of critics, who argue that it will bring Bologna to a standstill. “A city has to move,” one cabby said.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times.

Office workers in Sydney. Matthew Abbott for The New York Times

A ‘right to disconnect’

In Australia, “out of office” may soon take on a whole new level of importance.

The Senate passed a bill that would give workers the right to ignore calls and messages outside of working hours — without fear of repercussion. Under the bill, which follows similar models from Europe, companies could face fines for penalizing employees who fail to respond. It is expected to pass Australia’s House with ease.

Unions and others have long argued for the right to disconnect, an idea that grew more popular during the coronavirus pandemic. However, some critics call it a government overreach that could hurt businesses.

How do you feel about “right to disconnect” laws? Let us know by filling out this form. We may use your response in an upcoming newsletter.

Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

Cook: Microwave chocolate pudding cake is a sweet and easy weekend treat.

Watch: The Oscar-nominated film “Perfect Days” gently excavates the life of a toilet cleaner in Tokyo.

Read: “Literary Theory for Robots,” a playful book on A.I., shows how human chatbots can be.

Travel: Spend a long weekend in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Clean: Here are guides to washing your comforter and your blankets.

Play Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.

That’s it for today’s briefing. I hope you have a lovely weekend! — Amelia

P.S. Our Shanghai bureau chief, Alexandra Stevenson, shared the games, books, films and songs that are in her queue.

We welcome your feedback. Send us your suggestions at briefing@nytimes.com.

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