WASHINGTON, D.C: Former President Donald Trump is aiming to postpone his federal election interference trial to a later date, specifically April 2026, rather than the initial trial date of January 2024, as requested by Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Trump's motivation for the delay appears to be linked to the possibility of seeking another presidential candidacy, outlined in legal documents obtained by TMZ.
Why does Donald Trump want to delay his upcoming trial?
Donald Trump's aspiration to push back the trial is linked to the possibility of seeking another term in the White House. This move comes amidst the approching 2024 presidential election in which Trump stands as a significant Republican contender.
One of the key reasons Trump puts forward for the postponement is the immense volume of documents involved in the case.
Prosecutors have generated a staggering 11.5 million pages of documents, which, if physically stacked, would extend nearly 5,000 feet into the sky.
Trump contended that his legal team requires ample time to review them all.
Criminal charges against Donald Trump
Donald Trump is facing a staggering 91 felony counts. These charges encompass a wide range of offenses, including alleged attempts to undermine democratic processes, jeopardizing national security by handling classified information recklessly, and manipulating business records, per CNN.
One notable charge pertains to his involvement in a hush money payment to a porn actress, which has implications for falsifying business records. Here is a closer look at the charges under each of the four indictments against Trump:
Bookkeeping Fraud
Donald Trump is facing a total of 34 felony counts, accused of falsifying business records. These charges stem from a series of checks issued by Trump in 2017 to his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, who was also his fixer.
These payments were meant to reimburse Cohen for a hush money payment he made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in October 2016, aimed at concealing a potential sex scandal just before the election.
However, the indictment alleges that internal documents inaccurately labeled these checks as payments for legal services Cohen supposedly rendered in 2017, despite no actual retainer agreement.
The indictment was issued in March 2023, and the trial is currently scheduled for March 2024.
National Security Documents
Donald Trump is confronting a total of 40 criminal counts connected to allegations that he unlawfully retained classified government documents subsequent to leaving his presidential term.
Furthermore, he is accused of allegedly conspiring to obstruct efforts to retrieve them, including defying a subpoena.
His associates Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira are also facing charges. Their charges pertain to conspiring to obstruct the investigation and providing false statements.
The indictment was issued in June 2023 and later expanded in July 2023. The trial is currently slated for May 2024.
2020 Election Subversion (Federal)
Donald Trump is facing 4 criminal charges linked to allegations that he attempted to undermine the democratic process by trying to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election to Joe Biden.
The indictment includes charges of conspiring to defraud the government and disenfranchise voters, along with two counts related to obstructing an official proceeding — the January 6, 2021, joint session of Congress to certify Biden's Electoral College victory.
The indictment was issued in August 2023, and the trial schedule is yet to be determined.
Prosecutors have suggested January 2024, but Trump has indicated he wants a delay until after the 2024 election. However, his lawyers have not formally proposed this delay yet.
2020 Georgia Election Subversion
Donald Trump is facing 13 criminal charges in connection with allegations of unlawfully attempting to undermine his narrow defeat to Biden in Georgia.
The charges encompass racketeering, solicitation of a violation of oath by a public officer, filing a false document, and conspiracy to commit impersonation of a public officer, make false statements, file false documents, and commit forgery.
Additionally, 18 of Trump's associates and allies are also implicated in various charges. The indictment was issued in August 2023, and the trial schedule has not been set yet.
