Donald Trump will face a criminal trial on March 25, 2024, on charges of falsifying business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels, a judge ruled on Tuesday.
Manhattan State Court Judge Juan Merchan set the date during a hearing in which the former US president appeared remotely from Florida.
That means Trump, who is currently the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination in the 2024 election, will be judged at the heart of the nominating primaries, when he and his rivals for the Republican presidential bid criss-cross the country drumming. support among party loyalists.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The criminal charges against former US President Donald Trump have served to bolster his supporters who traveled to the New York courthouse and rallied in Florida. Trump’s camp maintains that the 34 tampering charges are a witch hunt.
The main purpose of Tuesday’s hearing was for Merchan to formally notify Trump of an order restraining him from disclosing certain evidence to third parties, including the media and social media. At the start of the hearing, Merchan asked Trump if he had a copy of the order.
“Yes, I do,” Trump said, dressed in a striped red tie and blue suit and seated next to his lawyer, Todd Blanche, in front of American flags. Both were shown on at least four screens in Merchan’s courtroom.
The restrictions on Trump relate to grand jury transcripts, witness statements and other documents that prosecutors are required to turn over to the defense in preparation for trial.
Prosecutors said the order was necessary because of Trump’s history of attacking on social media and the risk of witnesses being harassed.
Trump would remain free to talk about most of the evidence in the case that comes from the defense, the judge said during a hearing earlier this month.