Donald Trump‘s trial on election conspiracy charges will not start on March 4, as a federal judge pulled it from the court’s schedule.
The vacating of the date is not a surprise, as other proceedings in the case have been put on hold as Trump’s lawyers pursue appeals after the judge, Tanya Chutkan, refused to toss out charges on the grounds that the former president was immune from prosecution. That question of immunity was the subject of a hearing before a three-judge appellate panel last month, but no ruling has been issued. The process could drag out for months after that and up to the Supreme Court.
Chutkan wrote that the “court will set a new schedule if and when the mandate is returned.”
Trump has plead not guilty to four conspiracy charges related to his efforts to remain in power after the 2020 presidential election. Chutkan had scheduled to March 4 date despite Trump’s attorneys’ urging that the the proceedings should not take place until after the election.
Trump still faces another trial in New York later in March, on criminal charges related to hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels. In that case, Trump is accused of dozens of counts of falsifying business records.
Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.