WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – A federal judge in Washington set the trial date for Donald Trump in the case that accuses the former president of trying to overturn the 2020 election.
That trial date was set for March 4, disregarding what lawyers from both sides wanted. Former President Donald Trump says the judge’s decision interferes with his ability to campaign for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
The judge in this case said she tried to take into account the trial dates in all of Trump’s other legal cases.
“It’s unrealistic. It’s theatrics,” Trump Spokesperson Alina Habba said of the trial date.
Trump’s lawyers wanted a trial date in 2026, long after the next election, but now their client will be facing a jury just one day before the Republican Super Tuesday presidential primary.
“You don’t have to prepare much when you’ve done nothing wrong. So that, I’m not concerned with,” Habba said.
The judge said she would not take personal obligations like Trump’s campaign schedule into account, adding the trial of a professional athlete wouldn’t depend on their game schedule.
Trump continues to be the front runner for the Republican presidential nomination, but rival Chris Christie (R-NJ) warns his party against continued support for Trump.
“We can’t have a convicted felon as our nominee for president and expect we’re going to win,” Christie said.
There was also a hearing in the Georgia case that Trump and 18 co-defendants are facing for trying to pressure state officials to swing the election results there in Trump’s favor. Former Trump White House Staff Mark Meadows and four others are asking for a change of venue from state to federal court.
Trump is also scheduled to begin trial in May for the case in which he’s accused of withholding and mishandling classified federal documents even after authorities asked Trump to return them.
