Trump's trial for election obstruction in Washington, D.C., will begin on March 4, 2024

Judge Tanya Chutkan set March 4, 2024 as the start date for the trial for alleged electoral interference in 2020. This will be the day before Super Tuesday, key to the primary elections.

This date is close to the one proposed by prosecutor Jack Smith's team, Jan. 2, 2024. It is far from the Jan. 6, 2026, start date that former president's lawyer Gregory Singer had requested for the trial, arguing that Smith's desired date would unduly hasten the process, violate Trump's rights and, moreover, would be "flatly impossible" to accomplish.

The case against Trump

The former president was indicted on four counts stemming from Smith's investigation into the 2020 presidential election: conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of an official procedure and conspiracy against the rights of citizens.

The indictment is 45 pages long and includes witnesses such as former Vice President Mike Pence and Gary Michael Brown, a senior official in Trump's 2020 presidential campaign. All charges were approved by a federal grand jury.

Earlier this month, Trump turned himself in for arraignment in Washington and pleaded not guilty. "This is a very sad day for the United States, and it was also very sad driving through Washington, D.C.," he later said. "When you look at what's happening, this is a persecution of a political opponent. This was never supposed to happen in America."