Former president Donald Trump’s trial on federal charges related to his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election is set to begin on March 4 — one day before Super Tuesday.
U.S. district judge Tanya Chutkan set the trial date on Monday, after prosecutors in the case asked that the trial begin on January 2. Trump’s lawyers advocated for a start date in April 2026.
He has been charged with four counts in the case: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempting to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
As Trump’s legal schedule becomes increasingly crowded, he and 18 co-defendants are set to be arraigned in the Fulton County, Ga., election-interference case on September 6.
Trump is scheduled to appear before Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. The former president is facing 13 felony charges, including conspiracy to commit forgery, filing false documents, solicitation of violation of oath by public officer, and violating the Georgia Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
Former Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani will be arraigned shortly after, at 9:45 a.m., followed by the remaining defendants at 15-minute intervals: former Trump attorney John Eastman will appear next, followed by attorney Sidney Powell, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former Coffee County GOP chair Cathy Latham, Republican poll watcher Scott Hall, former Trump attorney Kenneth Chesebro, publicist Trevian Kutti and former Black Voices for Trump director Harrison Floyd.
After a brief break, the arraignments will begin again at 1 p.m., still at 15- minute intervals, beginning with former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark, followed by Illinois pastor Stephen Lee, former Trump attorney Jenna Ellis, Georgia state senator Shawn Still, Georgia lawyer Ray Smith, former Georgia GOP chairman David Shafer, former Trump aide Michael Roman, Georgia lawyer Robert Cheeley, and former Coffee County official Misty Hampton. The arraignments should conclude sometime around 3:15 p.m.
The judge said last week he will allow cameras and recording devices from local TV affiliates in the courtroom for the proceedings.
The arraignments come as Trump and his co-defendants surrendered to authorities at the Rice Street jail last week ahead of the August 25 deadline. The normal process for defendants who are booked at the jail includes a search, medical screening, fingerprinting, and mug shot. Floyd, the former Black Voices director, was the only defendant who was kept in jail, after he was unable to secure his release on bond.
Trump agreed to a bond deal that would see him post $200,000 as a condition of his release, including $80,000 for racketeering and $10,000 for each of his other twelve counts. He paid a local bonding company 10 percent of the amount to post his bond, according to CNN.
Prosecutors allege that individuals involved in the efforts "engaged in various related criminal activities including, but not limited to, false statements and writings, impersonating a public officer, forgery, filing false documents, influencing witnesses, computer theft, computer trespass, computer invasion of privacy, conspiracy to defraud the state, acts involving theft, and perjury." The indictment says 161 separate acts were undertaken to advance the "criminal conspiracy."
Willis's investigation, which began in early 2021, centered on alleged efforts from Trump and his allies to pressure election officials, and a plan to put forward fake electors. The investigation was launched shortly after Trump called Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger and pressured him to "find" the votes needed to flip the state in his favor. Trump maintains that it was a "perfect phone call."
The Fulton County indictment was the former president's fourth in four months. He was already facing four felony counts as a result of special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as well as another 42 felony counts stemming from Smith's separate investigation into the former president's alleged mishandling of classified documents.
Before that, Trump was indicted in Manhattan on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush-money payment to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels.
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