Donald Trump’s trial on election fraud charges has been dropped from the court calendar, indicating that the case will likely not begin for several more months, pushing it closer to the presidential election in November. The Washington D.C Court of Appeals is now considering the case, and it is likely to go to the U.S Supreme Court after that.
This delay is a significant victory for Trump, who has been seeking to delay his criminal trials until after the election. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him in four criminal cases and remains the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. If sworn in as president in January 2025, Trump could appoint a favorable attorney general, have the federal cases dropped, seek to pardon himself, or ask the Supreme Court to delay all criminal trials until after he has served his term.
In his appeal, launched on December 7, 2023, Trump argues that he is immune from prosecution for acts committed in serving his presidential duties, including his claims that Democrats had rigged the 2020 presidential election in Joe Biden’s favour. Former federal prosecutor Bill Shipley predicts that none of Trump’s four criminal cases will reach trial before the election.
