Judge Tanya Chutkan on Monday set a March 4 trial date for former President Donald Trump's election conspiracy case in Washington D.C., The Associated Press reports. Chutkan denied Trump lawyers' bid to push the trial until April 2026 but set a date later than the January 2 start date proposed by special counsel Jack Smith. "These proposals are obviously very far apart," she said. "Neither of them is acceptable."
Trump attorney John Lauro argued that the date was unfair to the former president. "We will certainly abide by your honor's ruling, as we must. We will not be able to provide adequate representation ... the trial date will deny President Trump the opportunity to have effective assistance of counsel," he said, according to Politico's Kyle Cheney. Chutkan agreed that Trump needs more than five months to prepare, referring to the DOJ's recommendation, but said that the date proposed by Trump is "far" too long, arguing that the public has a right to a speedy trial in the case. "Mr. Trump is represented by a team of zealous, experienced attorneys. And has the resources necessary to review the discovery… I've seen many cases delayed because the defendant lacks adequate representation. That is not the case here," Chutkan said, according to CBS News' Scott MacFarlane.
Chutkan earlier in the hearing told the Trump attorney that his presidential campaign would have no bearing on the schedule. "Setting a trial date does not depend and should not depend on the defendant's personal and professional obligations. Mr. Trump, like any defendant, will have to make the trial date work regardless of his schedule," she said, according to The Guardian's Hugo Lowell.
