Former President Donald Trump has reportedly been working with former Hawaii Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to prepare for next week's debate against Vice President Kamala Harris.

However, that debate isn't the only fight Trump has to contend with, as Special Counsel Jack Smith has once again indicted him in Washington, D.C. following a Supreme Court ruling. 

Supreme Court established presidential immunity

As Newsweek reported, Smith recently filed a superseding indictment against the former president over his conduct following the 2020 election.

The new indictment maintains that Trump was acting as a candidate rather than within his duties as president when he opposed certification of the election's results.

The move came nearly two months after the Supreme Court ruled that presidents enjoy presumptive immunity for official acts and absolute immunity for actions tied to his or her "core" constitutional duties.

"The President is not above the law," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in his majority opinion. "But Congress may not criminalize the President’s conduct in carrying out the responsibilities of the Executive Branch under the Constitution."

Jonathan Turley: "Same four criminal counts with less evidence"

"And the system of separated powers designed by the Framers has always demanded an energetic, independent Executive," Roberts went on to assert.

The chief justice acknowledged that a president enjoys no immunity for unofficial acts, which is how Smith is attempting to frame Trump's conduct.

Here is the new indictment of former President Donald Trump by Special Counsel Jack Smith, which is to indictments what shrinkflation is to products -- same package just less content...
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://t.co/W50Flzb2B6

— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) August 27, 2024

However, critics like George Washington University Law School professor Jonathan Turley, who remarked in a social media post that Smith "simply re-indicted on [the][ same four criminal counts with less evidence."

Defense lawyers seek to push back sentencing date

Meanwhile, Newsweek noted that the Washington, D.C. case isn't Trump's only concern, as he is also scheduled to be sentenced on September 18 over his hush-money conviction in New York City.

The former president was found guilty in May on 34 counts of falsifying business records in order to hide payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Defense attorneys Todd Blanche and Emil Bove are attempting to have Judge Juan Merchan push Trump's sentencing date past election day.

"There is no good reason to sentence President Trump prior to November 5, 2024, if there is to be a sentencing at all, or to drive the post-trial proceedings forward on a needlessly accelerated timeline," they were quoted as saying in a statement to the Associated Press.