Maine's judge postpones verdict on Donald Trump's primary ban until Supreme Court rules in Colorado case

Judge Michaela Murphy of the US state of Maine has postponed her decision to ban Donald Trump from participating in the primaries until the Supreme Court rules on a similar case in Colorado.

In a statement, Michaela Murphy wrote that Secretary of State Shelley Bellows' decision to remove Trump from the primary ballot should remain on hold, BBC reports.

The statement says that unless the Supreme Court disqualifies Trump from holding the office, Maine voters will be able to vote for him in the primary.

"While it is impossible to know what the Supreme Court will decide, hopefully, it will at least clarify what role, if any, state decision-makers, including secretaries of state and state judicial officers, play in adjudicating claims of disqualification brought under Section Three of the 14th Amendment," Murphy wrote.

The 14th Amendment prohibits anyone who has "participated in a rebellion" from holding federal office. Trump's lawyers argue that this provision does not apply to the president.

It will be recalled that Donald Trump received the support of the majority of participants in the Republican Party caucuses in Iowa. He received 51% of the vote. His competitors, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, received 21.2%, former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley - 19.1%, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy - 7.7% and dropped out.