Washington, United States

Federal judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the prosecution of United States former president Donald J Trump in the 2020 election subversion conspiracy case, on Monday (August 28) set the date to start trial on March 4, 2024, rejecting the proposal of the accused to postpone it till 2026.

The announcement of the date has placed the trial of one of the country's biggest criminal cases in the history of America in its peak election season.

The trial date, which has been set two years ahead of the date which was requested by the defence, will fall on the eve of "Super Tuesday," when nearly a dozen states will cast votes between Trump and one of his rivals in the 2024 Republican presidential election.

"Setting a trial date does not depend on the defendant's professional obligations so Mr Trump will have to make a date work," US District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan informed the hearing in Washington.

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The trial date is likely to leave a pivotal impact on the hopes of Trump to recapture the White House. Taking to his social network Truth Social, Trump demanded the dismissal of the case and called lead prosecutor Jack Smith "deranged" and complained of "election interference." 

"Today a biased, Trump Hating Judge gave me only a two month extension, just what our corrupt government wanted, SUPER TUESDAY. I will APPEAL!" he stated.

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The 77-year-old former president has been facing four criminal indictments this year – one each by state prosecutors in Georgia and New York and twice by Smith. In an early August court appearance, Trump had pleaded not guilty to the charges, after which he was not needed to attend the procedural hearing on Monday.

Smith had appealed to start the trial on January 2, however, Trump's lawyer John Lauro described that proposition as "a request for a show trial, not a speedy trial," calling the idea of having just four months to prepare "absurd and ridiculous."

"We will certainly abide by Your Honor's ruling, as we must," he said to Chutkan, after the judge announced her decision. "The trial date will deny President Trump the opportunity to have effective assistance of counsel,” he added.

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Trump's multiple trials

Trump will go on trial on charges of paying election-eve hush money to a porn star in New York in March and the trial for allegedly mishandling top secret government documents will take place in Florida in May.

Trump, along with 18 co-defendants, are also facing racketeering charges in Georgia for trying to overturn the results 2020 election in the southern state.

No firm date to begin the trial of the Georgia case has been decided by the presiding judge.

(With inputs from agencies)

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