Trump Court Date Set During 2024 Primaries

What’s happening: A Manhattan judge has set the date for Donald Trump’s criminal trial over the Stormy Daniels “hush money” for March 25, 2024. That means the former president could be in court during the crucial Republican primaries and the lead-up to the presidential election. Trump has been instructed to clear his schedule for the trial, with a protective order issued to prevent public evidence sharing.

Catch up: The ongoing case, as previously reported, concerns alleged hush money payments by ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Manhattan’s George Soros-funded District Attorney Alvin Bragg is using novel legal theory to attempt to prove that Trump violated state election law. The case has been criticized as weak and hard to substantiate by even liberal media and commentators.

Trump's reaction: Trump said the assigned court date and trial was “election interference,” suggesting Democrats behind the case have ulterior political motives. A majority of Americans, a near 2—1 ratio, agree that the case is politically driven. The announcement follows a series of legal challenges against Trump, including a recent civil case that cost him millions of dollars and an investigation into his alleged mishandling of classified documents.

Between the lines: It’s only been one week since special counsel John Durham released a report, four years in the making, concluding that the Russia collusion investigations into Trump were not only based on no evidence but also spurred by his political enemies. Whether these cases, which target the leading presidential candidate, are political or not is no longer a question.