A United States judge has scheduled the trial for former President Donald Trump’s alleged involvement in an election subversion conspiracy for March 4, 2024. This decision places one of the most significant criminal cases in American history right at the height of the next White House race. The chosen date, which arrives two years ahead of the defense team’s proposal, coincides with “Super Tuesday,” a pivotal day when more than a dozen states will decide between Trump and his rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
“Setting a trial date doesn’t hinge on the defendant’s professional commitments, so Mr. Trump will need to make this date work,” stated U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan during the hearing in Washington.
This decision could potentially impact Trump’s aspirations to return to the White House. He expressed his frustration on his social network, Truth Social, branding the lead prosecutor, Jack Smith, as deranged and alleging election interference.
Molly Gaston, the prosecutor, emphasized the gravity of the charges against Trump, referring to them as historic crimes. She underscored the extraordinary public interest in expediting the trial.
This year, the 77-year-old former president has been hit with four criminal indictments—twice by Smith and once each by state prosecutors in New York and Georgia. However, the case before Judge Chutkan could pose the greatest legal jeopardy for Trump, particularly if it becomes the inaugural trial in what seems to be a busy legal calendar for him.
Trump had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges in an early August court appearance and was not required to be present at Monday’s procedural hearing.
Smith had originally requested a trial start date of January 2, but Trump’s lawyer, John Lauro, deemed this request “a request for a show trial, not a speedy trial.” Lauro considered the idea of having only four months to prepare absurd and ridiculous.
Trump to Face More Trials Next Year
In addition to the March trial in New York, where Trump faces charges related to paying hush money to a porn star, he is scheduled for a trial in Florida in May on allegations of mishandling top-secret government documents.
Furthermore, Trump and 18 co-defendants are facing racketeering charges in Georgia concerning their efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the southern state. Their arraignment is set for the upcoming Wednesday, although the presiding judge has not yet set a definitive trial start date for this case.
The case before Judge Chutkan accuses Trump of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding—the January 6, 2021, joint session of Congress that was besieged by a mob of Trump supporters. In this indictment, Trump, the sole defendant, is also accused of attempting to disenfranchise American voters through false claims of winning the 2020 election.
Whit Ayres, a seasoned political consultant, speculated that if Trump, who currently holds a commanding lead in the 2024 Republican field, is acquitted in his first trial, he would likely secure the party’s presidential nomination.
Judge Chutkan, aged 61 and appointed by former Democratic President Barack Obama, has been known for delivering stringent sentences to individuals involved in the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump has previously accused her of being highly partisan and very biased. Chutkan also has a history of legal clashes with Trump, having ruled against him in a November 2021 case, asserting that “presidents are not kings.”
