Donald Trump’s Political And Legal Calendar Is A Mess – An election year is always a busy one for politicians hoping to become the next President of the United States.
Candidates – particularly those standing for the party, not in charge of the White House – must spend the first quarter vigorously campaigning to party voters to gain support in the primaries.
The eventual presidential nominee must then campaign across the country to convince the nation as to why they should be its next leader.
For former president and Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, his calendar is set to be unprecedentedly busy. Were he to win his party’s nomination, the 77-year-old would have no choice but to balance his political and legal commitments simultaneously.
Here is a full list of the commitments facing the former president until Tuesday, November 5, Election Day.
Note that with dates still to be announced, this list could see additions in due course.
2023
Having already turned himself in to Fulton County jail in Georgia, Trump will enter a plea on his most recent indictment along with 18 other defendants on September 6.
It’s almost certain he will plead not guilty, but the formality is legally required to prepare the courtroom for a trial at a later date.
On September 27, Fox Business will host the second debate between confirmed Republican candidates. Trump has already said he has no intention to participate.
Less than a week later, a civil state trial in Manhattan will begin in which the former president is being sued for $ 250 million by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
He is accused of lying about the value of his assets to secure better deals from lenders and insurers, while James is also seeking to prevent the Trump family from running businesses in New York.
January 2024
Trump’s commitments ramp up a notch at the turn of the new year.
On January 15, a separate Manhattan civil trial will begin as writer E. Jean Carroll seeks at least $10 million from Trump for defamation.
She has already claimed $5 million from the former president for defamation and sexual assault in a decision that Trump is appealing.
January 15 also marks the first Republican caucus in Iowa, where GOP voters within the state will choose their preferred party candidate.
New Hampshire is expected to hold its vote within the weeks after, although a confirmed date is yet to be announced.
On January 29, Trump faces a third trial in Manhattan in which he is accused of participating in an illegal pyramid scheme.
February 2024
Two further primaries are due to be held this month.
Republicans in Nevada will cast their ballot on February 8, while South Carolinians will do the same just over two weeks later on February 24.
March 2024
Trump’s commitments could see him all over the country in March.
On March 4, Trump’s federal indictment over accusations he attempted to reverse the 2020 election results will begin in Washington D.C.
This was also the proposed starting date for Fani Willis’ Fulton County trial, although this will now almost certainly be rescheduled.
The following day is Super Tuesday. 14 state presidential primaries take place simultaneously in an event which often narrows the primary field down to a handful of candidates. Alas, it’s a crucial date for any presidential hopeful.
Later that month, Trump will once again be in court facing more criminal charges. The case will be heard in New York, in which the former president is accused of falsifying business records to cover up a hush-money payment to adult entertainer Stormy Daniels. It could be subject to change if the previous criminal case overruns.
May 2024 and beyond
On May 20, Trump will be in his home state of Florida facing charges over his handling of classified documents since leaving the presidency. Facing almost 500 years imprisonment on this indictment alone, prosecutors are also accusing Trump of lying to officials during their attempts to recover the documents.
The primaries will culminate the following month on June 4, before the Republican National Convention in mid-July where the party formally selects its presidential candidate.
With states yet to announce their caucus days and Fani Willis’ still to select a date for the Georgia case, Trump’s diary is likely to only become busier before it gets quieter.
Shay Bottomley is a British journalist based in Canada. He has written for the Western Standard, Maidenhead Advertiser, Slough Express, Windsor Express, Berkshire Live and Southend Echo, and has covered notable events including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
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