A trial date has been officially set for former U.S. President Donald Trump in his hush-money case, making history as he becomes the first ex-president to face trial on a criminal charge. The trial focuses on claims that Trump paid off two women, adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who said they had affairs with him. Jury selection will start on March 25.
Judge Juan Manuel Mercha, who made the call to proceed with the trial, rejected requests from Trump's legal team for a delay. The case centers on accusations from Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, where he is alleged to have tried to keep stories about extramarital affairs under wraps. Prosecutors argue that Trump's lawyer at the time, Michael Cohen, arranged payments of $130,000 to Daniels and $150,000 to McDougal using a "catch-and-kill" tactic to bury the stories.
Trump, present at the New York courthouse for the hearing, continues to deny any involvement in the claimed sexual encounters. His legal team insists no crime was committed, stating the payments were marked as legal expenses. This court appearance follows a historic indictment in April 2023, making Trump the first former president charged with a crime.
This trial marks the first of four criminal prosecutions Trump faces as he seeks the Republican nomination for the November US general election. Despite objections from his lawyers, who argued trial interference in the election, Judge Mercha upheld the trial date by taking advantage of a delay in another of Trump's prosecutions linked to the 2020 election results.
