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Former President Donald Trump is requesting an April 2026 start date for his trial on federal charges accusing him of attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss and over the ensuing January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
The request, made in a court filing by Trump's lawyers on Thursday, is more than two years after the date requested by Special Counsel Jack Smith last week—January 2, 2024. While making the request, the ex-president's legal team argued that the indictment was evidence that President Joe Biden had politically "targeted" Trump.
Trump's lawyers also claimed that starting the Washington, D.C., trial roughly 15 months after the winner of the 2024 presidential election is set to be inaugurated was "more reasonable" than the "rush to judgment" requested by Smith. If Trump, the leading GOP candidate, were to win the election, the federal proceedings against him would very likely be dropped.
"This is an unprecedented case in American history," the filing states. "The incumbent administration has targeted its primary political opponent—and leading candidate in the upcoming presidential election—with criminal prosecution ... the government spent over 2 1/2 years investigating this matter."
"The public interest lies in justice and fair trial, not a rush to judgment," it continues. "This more reasonable schedule—equal to the government's time spent investigating—will allow this case to proceed in an orderly fashion, with both parties having a fair opportunity to review all material information, advance appropriate motions, and apprise the Court of relevant legal issues."
Smith's office responded with no comment when reached by Newsweek via email on Thursday night.
Trump's proposed timeline would include an extended discovery period, with hearings starting in December and lasting until December 2025. A final pretrial hearing would occur on March 23, 2026, with jury selection and the actual trial beginning the following month.
The former president's lawyers argued that the timeline would "avoid scheduling conflicts with other pending matters" and "provide sufficient time to address the production of discovery."
Smith requested the January 2 date while arguing that a "speedy trial" was in "the public's strong interest" and that the proposal provides plenty of time for Trump's team to "to review the discovery in this case and prepare a defense."
Trump lashed out at Smith over the request in a Truth Social post shortly after the request was made, insisting that the trial could only take place "after the election" and calling Smith a "lunatic" who was engaging in "election interference."
"Deranged Jack Smith has just asked for a trial on the Biden Indictment to take place on January 2nd., just ahead of the important Iowa Caucuses," Trump wrote. "Only an out of touch lunatic would ask for such a date, ONE DAY into the New Year, and maximum Election Interference with IOWA!"
The ex-president is also facing three other felony trials that are likely to take place next year—including a federal trial in Florida over his handling of classified materials, a trial in New York for charges of falsifying business records and a trial in Georgia for issues related to the attempt to overturn his 2020 loss.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over the January 6 case, is expected to set the final date for the Washington, D.C. trial during a court hearing on August 28. Both Smith and Trump's team estimate that the trial itself will take between four and six weeks.
About the writer
Aila Slisco is a Newsweek night reporter based in New York. Her focus is on reporting national politics, where she ... Read more