Judge Tanya S. Chutkan has scheduled a federal trial against former President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., for March 4, 2024, just one day before the Republican Super Tuesday primary. The trial could last for weeks during an important time in the campaign cycle as Trump seeks the Republican presidential nomination for the third consecutive election cycle.
In the hearing, Chutkan rejected the federal government's proposal to hold the trial in January. She also rejected Trump's proposal of holding the trial in 2026.
The trial relates to the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection. Trump is accused of violating U.S. law in an attempt to override the results of the 2020 election.
Trump also has another trial scheduled for the same month over multiple charges that he falsified business records in Manhattan. That trial is scheduled for March 25.
Chutkan said she coordinated with the judge in New York to discuss conflicts over the timing.
Trump to be arraigned in Georgia election case Sept. 6
If he appears in court, it could mark the first time the public is able to watch a criminal hearing involving the former president.
He faces the following charges in the federal case in Washington, D.C.:
Count 1: A conspiracy to defraud the United States by using dishonesty, fraud and deceit to obstruct the nation’s process of collecting, counting, and certifying the results of the presidential election.
Count 2: A conspiracy to impede the Jan. 6 congressional proceeding at which the collected results of the presidential election are counted and certified.
Count 3: The indictment also alleges that Trump attempted to, and did, corruptly obstruct and impede the certification of the electoral vote.
Count 4: A conspiracy against the right to vote and to have that vote counted.
Trump's attorney John Lauro said Monday that he wanted the trial moved out of Washington, D.C., as he is worried about a tainted jury pool. Chutkan said she would keep a close eye on it.
Trump is also facing two other criminal trials. One involves allegations he mishandled classified documents. He also was charged earlier this month in Fulton County, Georgia, after being accused of a conspiracy to overthrow the results of the presidential election in that state.
He is tentatively set to go to trial on May 20, 2024, in the classified documents case. It's unknown when he'll go to trial in the Georgia election case.
