A federal election interference case against former President Donald Trump is set to go to trial on March 4, 2024, according to a ruling by Washington, D.C. District Judge Tanya Chutkan.
The ruling denies Trump’s request to hold the trial in April 2026 and instead establishes a schedule that coincides with the presidential primary calendar.
Trump is charged with four felonies related to his efforts to block President Joe Biden’s 2020 election win, and the trial is set to begin a day before Super Tuesday when more than a dozen states will hold their 2024 presidential primaries.
During a hearing on Monday, Judge Chutkan stated that neither the January 2 trial date proposed by Smith’s office nor the April 2026 date proposed by Trump’s legal team is “acceptable,” according to multiple reports. Trump’s attorneys argued for a later date, citing the need for “a reasonable amount of time to prepare” a defense. However, Justice Department lawyers countered that Trump’s public attacks on the case’s merits heighten the need for a speedy trial as his rhetoric could potentially taint a jury pool.
Trump’s attorney, John Lauro, also indicated that they plan to argue that the case is “retaliation” for Trump’s attacks on President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.
When Lauro accused prosecutors of wanting a “show trial” rather than a “speedy trial,” Judge Chutkan responded by saying, “Let’s take the temperature down. I understand Mr. Trump is presumed innocent, as is every defendant . . . Let’s not overlook the fact that Mr. Trump has considerable resources that every defendant does not usually have.”
