cnn this morning starts right now. good morning, everyone. i m phil mattingly with erika hill in new york. poppy is off today. there s a lot of news on this thursday, december 21st. starting with a new delay tactic from donald trump and his legal team. trump asking the supreme court to stay out of a key case for now as the justices face several issues that could reshape the entire race. and the political fallout continues from colorado s top court banning trump from the ballot. and hamas growing worldwide influence since the brutal attack on israel. u.s. intelligence warning hamas credibility has expanded dramatically not just in the middle east but beyond. and ten americans freed from venezuela, six who were wrongfully detained, what they had to say after arriving back on u.s. soil. cnn this morning starts right now. the u.s. supreme court could soon decide the fate of donald trump and the fate of the 2024 election. but the former president is turning to a favorite
hunt. it is thursday, december 21. 5:00 a.m. in new york. also 5:00 a.m. in washington, d.c. where donald trump is now urging the supreme court to reject a fast track review of his claim for presidential immunity after he tried to overturn the 2020 election. his legal team filed a motion wednesday and this is one week after special counsel jack smith requested that justices rule quickly on whether immunity would protect trump in prosecution so that his trial could begin on march 4. trump s legal strategy has always been to delay the proceedings as he campaigns again for the white house in 2024. meantime, president biden was asked about tuesday s unprecedented colorado supreme court ruling that trump is an insurrectionist and does not among in the state s primary ballot. is trufrmp an insurrectionis? i think it is self-evident. you saw it all. whether the 14th amendment apply, i ll let the court make that decision. but he certainly assumed an insurrection. no question abou
a rush to judgment. the special counsel jack smith urging the supreme court not to wait to decide a critical question concerning donald trump. is he entitled to immunity for crimes he may have committed as president? and growing influence. two months of war brought on by hamas s attack on israel hasn t hurt the terror group sway over gaza. in fact, maybe the opposite. and under fire again, harvard s president now facing questions over whether she committed plagiarism, this after avoiding calls for her to resign over her testimony on antisemitism. can she survive another controversy? following these major stories and many, more all coming in right here to cnn news central. the special counsel prosecuting donald trump wants to fast-track a key dispute in the case right to the supreme court. today, jack smith again urged justices to weigh in now on whether a former president can be prosecuted for alleged crimes committed while in office. it is an issue that has never been test
now, in one legal fight he s facing just as he could soon be asking the high court to jump in and please intervene in another. and new u.s. intel on hamas growing influence. american officials warning the terror group is more popular since the horrific and brutal attack on israel. the holiday travel season is in full swing. today is expected to be the busiest day at the airports in this crazy holiday travel period. it s also officially the first day of winter. welcome. a look at the potential of storm cloud ahead for your travel plans. i m kate bolduan with omar jim jimenez. sara and john are off today. this is cnn news central. there s a new star taking the spotlight of the 2024 presidential election, no not a candidate but the supreme court. the justices could take up several cases that could decide the fate of republican front runner donald trump including if trump is even eligible for the white house. trump s team is expected to file an appeal with the high court
Colombian businessman Alex Saab may have recovered his liberty, but it does not necessarily mean that he will regain control of the mansion that Colombia confiscated three years ago.