A federal judge in Washington has formally deferred Donald Trump’s March trial on allegations of trying to disrupt the 2020 election, news agency Associated Press (AP) reported.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan postponed the March 4 trial date in the lawsuit brought by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith.
The decision allows for a separate case in New York, accusing Trump of hush money payments to a porn actress, to proceed first.
The postponement in Washington comes as a federal appeals court has yet to rule on Trump’s current petition claiming immunity from prosecution for actions taken in the White House.
Trump, who is facing four indictments and 91 felony charges, is hoping to postpone his criminal trials while he is the front-runner in the campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nominee. Meanwhile, Smith’s team hopes to prosecute Trump this year, before the November election.
If Trump is elected while the lawsuit is still proceeding, he may direct the Justice Department to dismiss it and perhaps seek a pardon for himself.
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