Donald Trump suggests that the trial for election interference should begin in 2026.
Trump’s lawyers want a trial in 2026 for the charges that he tried to overturn the 2020 election. The prosecutor wants the trial to start on January 2, 2026. Trump’s lawyers say they need more time to review a lot of documents related to the case. They think rushing the trial wouldn’t be fair.
A judge named Tanya Chutkan will decide the trial date on August 28. The trial date proposed by the government is January 2, which the lead prosecutor, Jack Smith, thinks is a good balance between letting the defendant prepare and having a fast trial. This case is the most serious of four investigations against Trump. He’s accused of doing illegal things, like hiding money to help his campaign and mishandling secret documents. The new attorney general, Merrick Garland, picked Smith to handle this case alone so that it’s fair and not influenced by politics.
Trump and his team have complained that the legal proceedings against him are influenced by political bias.
In a document submitted on Thursday, his lawyers argued that the current government has singled out their main political opponent, who is also the leading candidate for the upcoming presidential election. They claim that this is being done through criminal prosecution.
The trial dates for two other cases involving Trump have already been scheduled. One will happen in New York at the state level in March, and the other at the federal level in Florida in May. These trials will take place before the November 2024 election.
However, there is no set date yet for the trial related to allegations of election-related racketeering charges in Georgia.