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The Supreme Court on Monday ordered lower courts to dismiss two cases that alleged former President Donald Trump unlawfully profited from his businesses while in office, in violation of the Constitution's emoluments clauses.
The big picture: Both sides agreed the issue had become moot after Trump's term finished on Jan. 20, according to Bloomberg, ending a prolonged legal battle that extended for most of his presidency.
- A federal appeals court last February dismissed a case based on the emoluments clause from 215 congressional Democrats, citing a lack of standing.
- The Supreme Court's move on Monday leaves open questions about emoluments for future presidents who retain business interests while in office like Trump did.
Worth noting: The dismissed cases, Trump v. CREW and Trump v. District of Columbia, could potentially have carved a path to access Trump's financial records if they had gone through during his presidency.