Donald Trump is looking to kick one of his criminal cases down the road — way down the road — he wants his federal election interference trial to begin after he gets another shot at the White House.
In new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Trump is seeking to delay his upcoming trial until April 2026 … instead of the January 2024 trial date Special Counsel Jack Smith wants.
8/1/23 Fox News
Trump’s proposed trial start would fall about 17 months after the 2024 presidential election, in which he’s the leading Republican candidate.
According to the docs, Trump says the delay is necessary because prosecutors have produced 11.5 million pages of documents — which he says if stacked together would stretch nearly 5,000 feet into the sky — and his attorneys need time to comb through all of it.
The former president is now facing 4 criminal cases, but this is related to his federal indictment for attempting to undermine the 2020 election with his actions on, before and after January 6, 2021.
Remember, prosecutors at the Department of Justice charged Trump on Aug. 1 with 4 counts — conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights (to vote).
Trump’s pleaded not guilty … and Smith’s team of prosecutors previously filed docs requesting jury selection begin in December, with the trial starting Jan. 2.
Of course, that would be square in the middle of Trump’s campaign for the 2024 election — keep in mind the Iowa Caucus is on Jan. 15.
So, it’s not all that surprising Trump wants to hit pause, and push it until well after the 2024 election … to a date when he could actually be POTUS, once again. That would make more history.
The judge is expected to set the trial date during an Aug. 28 hearing.