Donald Trump’s lawyers have asked the US Supreme Court to grant their client “absolute immunity” from criminal prosecution for acts carried out while serving as president as part of their bid to get the federal election interference case against him dismissed.

       Ahead of oral arguments on the question being heard on 25 April, the Republican candidate’s lawyers argued: “The court should restore the tradition and neutralise one of the greatest threats to the president’s separate power, a bedrock of our republic, in our nation’s history.

       “The court should uphold the president’s immunity from criminal prosecution for official acts.”

       Meanwhile, Mr Trump was interviewed by Nigel Farage on GB News on Tuesday evening and modified his hostility to Nato, saying he would keep the US in the military alliance provided European countries “play fair” and “pay their fair share”.

       The former president appeared to soften his rhetoric after causing alarm in February when he said at a rally that he would “encourage” Vladimir Putin’s Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to countries that did not meet their financial obligations to the defence pact.

       He also waded into the intrigue currently surrounding the British Royal family.