NEW YORK — Donald Trump is seeking to delay his March 25 hush money trial until the Supreme Court rules on the presidential immunity claims he raised in another of his criminal cases.
The Republican former president’s lawyers on Monday asked Manhattan Judge Juan Manuel Merchan to adjourn the New York criminal trial indefinitely until Trump’s immunity claim in his Washington, D.C., election interference case is resolved.
Merchan did not immediately rule. In an order late Monday, he chided Trump’s lawyers for missing a filing deadline, waiting until 2½ weeks before jury selection to raise the immunity issue and failing to “explain the reason for the late filing.” Going forward, the judge said, Trump’s lawyers and prosecutors must get his permission before making any other pretrial motions.
Trump contends he is immune from prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office. His lawyers argue some of the evidence and alleged acts in the hush money case overlap with his time in the White House.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments April 25, a month after the scheduled start of jury selection in Trump’s hush money case. It is the first of his four criminal cases slated to go to trial as he closes in on the Republican presidential nomination in his quest to retake the White House.