Judge rejects Trump’s bid to delay of hush money trial over immunity claim

A New York judge Wednesday, April 3, denied former President Donald Trump’s request to delay his hush money trial. The former president was seeking a delay until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on April 25 on his claim of presidential immunity.

The judge ruled Trump waited too long to bring up this argument. Trump’s lawyers argued its relevance due to prosecutors planning to use statements Trump made as president from 2017 to 2021.

Trump’s trial, concerning a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, is scheduled to start April 15. Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan described the delay request as “untimely,” stating Trump’s legal team had sufficient time previously to address the immunity issue.

“This Court finds that Defendant had myriad opportunities to raise the claim of presidential immunity well before March 7, 2024,” Merchan wrote in his ruling.

In this case, Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He is also facing several other criminal cases across the country, including charges related to mishandling classified documents and attempting to interfere in elections, with pending trials in Florida, Washington, D.C., and Georgia. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.