The judge in Donald Trump’s Stormy Daniels hush money case on Thursday confirmed a trial date for next month and denied Trump’s attempt to dismiss the case entirely.
The former president made his return to the lower Manhattan courtroom for the first time since making history there last April as the first U.S. president to appear before a judge charged with a crime. He strolled into Manhattan Criminal Court at around 9:30 a.m.
As he entered the courtroom Trump did not look at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has charged Trump with 34 felonies, alleging he illegally reimbursed his former attorney Michael Cohen in 2017 for carrying out a scheme to bury negative press about a sexual tryst with Daniels, an adult film actress, ahead of the 2016 election.
Judge Juan Merchan quickly denied Trump’s motion to dismiss the trial just moments after taking the bench.
Merchan also confirmed the trial date of March 25 despite protests from Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche that the trial will interfere with Trump’s planned 2024 campaign trail. The trial will kick off with a lengthy jury selection process.
The trial is expected to last about six weeks, the judge said.
The GOP front-runner in the 2024 presidential race faces up to four years in prison if convicted. Trump wouldn’t be able to pardon himself should he win the White House as the case is being tried in the state courts, not federal.
Trump is currently facing four criminal trials including cases in Washington, D.C., Georgia and Florida. His fraud trial, in New York State Supreme Court, wrapped up last month.
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