Judge Tanya Chutkan, the federal judge overseeing the criminal case against former President Donald Trump for attempting to meddle with the 2020 presidential election, has set a trial date of March 4, 2024. Trump and his team hoped to delay the trial until April 2026.
Chutkan snubbed protestations by Trump’s attorneys that an April 2026 trial date was essential to amass the large volume of evidence they must review to present their case. Special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecution team was pushing for a January 2024 date, so the April date at least allows them more time.
The trial date is just eight days before Georgia’s presidential primary and a day before the Super Tuesday primaries. If Trump is elected president, Trump’s Justice Department could terminate his federal prosecution, or Trump could, and most likely would, pardon himself.
“The public has a right to a prompt and efficient resolution of this matter,” Chutkan said, per AP News. Chutkan further explained that setting a trial date while regarding a professional athlete’s schedule would be “inappropriate” — this would be the same in a case involving a former president planning their return to the White House. “I take seriously the defense’s request that Mr. Trump be treated like any other defendant appearing before this court, and I intend to do so.”
On Monday, Trump labeled Smith as “deranged” and charged Biden White House officials with being “fascist thugs.”
“It has just been reported that aides to TRUMP prosecutor, Deranged Jack Smith, met with high officials at the White House just prior to these political SleazeBags Indicating me OVER NOTHING,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “If this is so, which it is, that means that Biden and his Fascist Thugs knew and APPROVED of this Country dividing Form of Election Interference, despite their insisting that they ‘knew nothing.’ It’s all a BIG LIE, just like Russia, Russia, Russia, & not knowing about son’s business dealings. DISMISS CASE!”
